Dan Simmonds lashes Lingfield !

Three wins out of three in the league, all 2-1, and this game had Dan Simmonds to take the plaudits for a tremendous winner. Only the absence of Scott Murfin allowed Simmonds to start, and he repaid this faith in spades. The top of the table tussle was end to end stuff, as a Lingfield side who’d scored 13 goals in their last three games were kept at bay by a battling Lions team. They had to come from behind though, as the much heralded Nicky Forster headed home after only three minutes. The ex-Reading striker found a gap, and his header left James Binfield stranded. The Lions could have scored almost from the re-start as a Temple header in the area bounced down and then over the Lingfield bar. Pagham should have equalised shortly before the quarter hour as Temple’s strike was ruled offside by referee Mr Slaney. The first booking for Pagham came a few minutes later as Paul Jones saw yellow for a late tackle. Pagham were laying siege to the Lingfield goal, Temple, Wood and Ross Woolf all having chances go awry. Rob O’Hare was a towering presence in the Lingfield goal, by was powerless to stop Temple scoring on thirty five minutes. A knock-back from Matt Wood was controlled by Temple who shot into the gaping net. Pagham kept sniffing for another goal, and dominated up to the half time whistle without scoring further.

Matt Wood - Wing Wizard !

Daryl Coleman was bought down for the first free-kick after the break, Nicky Forster shooting over. Five minutes in, and Dan Simmonds hit the goal of the game. His starting place was more than justified as he struck home a superb solo effort from a Joe Booker long ball. Paul Jones had to leave the field for Pagham on the hour, a hamstring injury ending the defender’s involvement. On came Ben Buckland to replace him, and add fresh legs to Pagham’s defence. For the second week running Pagham were involved in penalty controversy .With a striker bought down in the area, referee Mr Slaney waved away protests with the shouts of derision from the crowd ringing in his ears. Dan Simmonds showed his frustration a minute later, kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone. Into the book he went, adding to a surreal afternoon caution-wise. Next in the book was Lingfield’s Daryl Coleman, after he hacked down Scott Hinshelwood. Lingfield came back into the game, with both Sayce Holmes-Lewis and Josh Smith causing panic in Pagham’s defence. Another booking, this time for Lingfield skipper Holmes-Lewis as the stop-start nature of the game threatened to spoil what was an entertaining half. The same player was more sinned against than sinning as Pagham’s Matt Wood saw yellow following a challenge. James Temple could have buried the game with five minutes to go as his header from Wood’s cross went just wide of the upright. Tragi-comedy a couple of minutes later as Lingfield sub Matt Scutter mis-kicked and felled his own skipper, Holmes-Lewis falling in a crumpled heap in the area. The game ended much as expected, with a couple of free-kicks that amounted to nothing.

Pagham; J.Binfield, J.Booker, T.Broadbent, D.Pearce, P.Jones, S.Hinshelwood, M.Wood, A.Ward, J.Temple, D.Simmonds, R.Woolf;B.Buckland, R.Cox, J.Tribe, M.Frangou

Lingfield; R.O’Hare, A.Dean, T.Hughes, S.Holmes-Lewis, B.Rutherford, L.Sidwell, D.Coleman, H.Simtin, N.Forster, D.Roye, J.Smith; A.Courtney, M.Scutter, J.Rutherford.