Two games, fourteen goals for, one against for Pagham in the games between these sides this season. Doesn’t make good reading if you’re an EBUA fan, but in truth Pagham were unlucky not to score at least double figures against a side who seem destined for division two football next season. With a pitch resembling a skid pan after the rain, the Lions were rampant from the off. The early pressure all came from the Pagham end, with Justin Gregory looking awesome in midfield. The home side could have gone ahead as early as the sixth minute through Daren Pearce, but his shot went into the side netting. Joe Booker headed over from a corner, and James Temple slipped at the crucial moment with the ball at his feet. All this and just over a quarter hour gone. It was something of a miracle that Pagham took 21 minutes to open the scoring, with a cross from Gregory being met by James Temple who slotted home a streaky goal. Gregory himself was foiled by EBUA keeper Grant Fitzgerald. The Pagham man was clean through only to see his shot go straight to Fitzgerald. Scott Murfin left the field just after half an hour, with a recurrence of his groin injury that had been troubling him for some time. On came Alex Kew, with Charlie Marshall taking Murfin’s place alongside Temple. Ten minutes of the first half left saw Joe Booker score from a Matt Wood cross to leave the visitors battered and bruised.

The second half was only three minutes old before Pagham went three up. A low right-sided shot from Gregory completely fooled Fitzgerald, and the game was already beyond the visitors. More problems for EBUA as a player was stretchered off to generous applause from both sets of fans.Thankfully it was revealed later he’d suffered a groin injury and not a break as some had feared. Another Joe Booker goal just after the hour as he found a huge gap in the visitor’s defence and slotted the ball home for his fifth of the season. Not two minutes later, Gregory got his second, and Pagham’s fifth as Fitzgerald badly misjudged his run from his area, leaving the Pagham man acres of space to score. A double substitution for Pagham as James Misslebrook joined Scott Hinshelwood in going off. On came Jordan Tribe and the welcome return of Neil Murfin to action after a lengthy injury lay-off. James Temple set Pagham on their way again, hitting both the side netting and shooting just wide as the Lions looked to score even more goals. Justin Gregory hit the post before James Temple scored a sixth for Pagham deep into injury time. Just time for EBUA sub James Strong to miss an open goal before referee Mr Slaney blew time on a comprehensive win for Pagham.

Pagham;W.Hallett, J.Misslebrook, R.Cox, D.Pearce, J.Booker, S.Hinshelwood, C.Marshall, M.Wood, J.Temple, S.Murfin, J.Gregory;J.Tribe, A.Kew, N.Murfin, J.Price