Prichard treble gives Chichester City victory - Pagham and Bosham end year with wins, Midhurst draw

Prichard, who got the equaliser in the corresponding fixture last season, started up front, with Josh Clack and Isaac Bello down the flanks, Joe Moore, Joe Clarke and new signing Mo Jammeh in the middle, Rob Hutchings and Ryan Davidson at CB, Emmett Dunn and birthday-boy Kyle O’Brien either side in defence and Kieran Magee between the sticks.

Bello, on target in the three previous league games, drove into the penalty area without any end product this time and Jammeh hit a cross too close to Golds’ keeper Keelan Belcher. The visitors won a couple of throws in a bright first five minutes before O’Brien whipped in a poor delivery and Jammeh was flagged offside. And then went ahead after Clack broke a tackle and threaded through to Prichard who opened his account.

He might have had another moments later when a cross-cum-shot bounced off the top of the bar. Referee Red Egan chose not to play advantage and Chi next missed a decent chance after a delicious Moore pass. O’Brien won the ball up against Freddie Chester and Egan dished out a yellow card to Hutchings for a studs-up-challenge for which he got a talking to.

Nodirbek Bobomurodov took the resulting free-kick that was just out of reach of an advanced Scott Packer. The momentum slightly shifted as former Chi player Dave Herbert set up Bobomurodov who played on to Matt Astle for a cross which the visitors finally hacked away. Clarke and then Jammeh headed clear loose balls before Moore picked Prichard whose effort was saved and Jammeh had one blocked for a corner that O’Brien took and Belcher punched to safety.

O’Brien’s run through the centre of the park opened things up but Town cleared and a neat backheel between Bobomurodov and Astle led to a Chichester goal kick. Next, Magee claimed Jordan Layton’s long throw as the visitors went a bit raggedy. Dion Jarvis dealt with a cross-field ping ahead of Clack as the half hour approached and Prichard’s follow-up corner was too deep.

Clack then got dispossessed by Herbert but this move came to nothing and Astle raided down the right only for a teammate to be judged offside. Bello blew a chance when he couldn’t connect and at the other end Davidson had to push Layton’s long throw-in over. A lovely pass from Dunn sent Clack away for a soft free-kick which Hutchings delivered and the hosts cleared.

Super skill from Jammeh, who certainly caught the eye, and then Prichard resulted in a Moore attempt. Clack and O’Brien hooked up after good work by Davidson but Belcher claimed. With a couple of minutes to the break Jammeh and Prichard combined before Jarvis joined Hutchings in the book for a foul on Bello.

The set-piece sailed over the bar and Magee was off his line sharply to deny a player as Golds countered. George Gaskin and Brad Dolaghan replaced Herbert and Chester at half time as Littlehampton rejigged. Gaskin won a free-kick seconds in but Jarvis hit a wayward delivery before Prichard got flagged offside after Clack and Jammeh did well.

And then it was 2-0 thanks to a smart Prichard finish when Bello played him in on 50. It might have been 3-0 a couple of minutes later but Prichard had a go when he should have squared to Bello for a tap-in. Clever skill by an on-fire Prichard set Bello up for the next effort that was denied and Moore was booked for a foul on Dolaghan.

Then Jammeh found Prichard whose shot was stopped and Belcher made another save. Chi earned a corner after a considered backheel before a raised elbow caught Bello but this was overlooked by Mr Egan. Moore pulled out of a challenge on 64 and Tom Butler’s tackle on 65 was well-timed.

Jamie Smith came on for Layton at the mid-point; O’Brien outsmarted the No7; and the ball bounced up unkindly for Josh Short. Clarke got booked with 20 to go and Hutchings hooked away a Jarvis cross. Olly Munt replaced Clarke on 73 just before Belcher gathered Clack’s delivery and held one by Munt.

A superb touch by Gaskin set up an opportunity for Bobomurodov that Magee saved and the consequent corner was smuggled away. Belcher denied Prichard in the 82nd minute but could do nothing about match-hero Prichard’s, and his team’s, third some 60 seconds later as an exquisite Munt pass teed him up for a splendid strike.

Late on Jimmy Wild and Kieran Jones were introduced for Jammeh and Prichard, and Davidson was oddly booked as we headed in to four minutes of stoppage time. Jones hit a looping forward pass towards Munt; Hutchings shepherded the ball out for a goal kick; and Clack, with the last kick of the game, fired one wide of the post.

City, who sit in ninth place, are away at Sheppey United on Saturday.

Chichester: Magee, Davidson, O’Brien, Moore, Clarke, Hutchings, Bello, Dunn, Clack, Jammeh, Prichard. Subs – (Horncastle, Munt, Wild, Jones).

In the Southern Combination League, Pagham saw out 2023 with a win – beating Horsham YMCA 3-1 at Nyetimber Lane.

The Lions’ seventh league win of the season lifted them to 11th place in the standings.

Midhurst ended 2023 with a 3-3 draw at Loxwood and are a creditable eighth in the table for the turn of the year. Lewis Rustell (2) and Marcus Bedford were the scorers.

Bosham are a point clear at the top of division two after a 3-2 win at home to Ferring on Saturday. David Castanheira got the winner after Pat Bulbeck’s double.

And here’s the report from Chi City’s previous game, v Pheonix Sports...

Chichester City 1-3 Phoenix Sports

Chichester conceded three calamitous goals as 2023 came to a freakish end at Oaklands Park – and spurned a hatful of chances.

The reverse fixture on the opening day of the season in south east London finished goalless and Chi came into this match on the back of a double victory over Hythe Town and Broadbridge Heath whereas Phoenix lost to Cray Valley PM last time out, but beat Sevenoaks and Ashford before that.