FOOTBALL: County League round-up (April 8)

First they recorded a thumping 5-0 home win over Storrington on Saturday, before they moved into second place with a 2-0 win over visitors Oakwood on Monday.

On Saturday, the depleted Swans, with nine first-teamers unavailable and several players in their line-up feeling ill, fell behind to Adam Mitchell's 10th-minute goal.

And United raced into a 4-0 lead by half-time, as Darren Annis, with two, and Enzo Benn, netted the others.

Swans did at least tighten up after the break, and looked to have kept the second half scoreless until Benn struck seven minutes from time.

United joint manager Jason Rutherford said: "We started well, and it was a good win. We didn't let them play and once we scored the first goal our momentum helped us finish the job."

Swans boss Ricky Hamilton said: "We had a scratch side out, and it was always going to be a difficult game. United are a good side and we weren't up to it, but having said that, I was pleased with our second-half performance. Chris Watton played when he was ill, and we found it hard once we went behind."

On Monday, United took another step towards promotion with a 2-0 win over mid-table Oakwood.

Rutherford said: "It was a good result and, with everyone else winning, it's important that we keep winning as well. We've got some hard games and might need to win more than we thought. They had a quite a bit of the ball but didn't really hurt us."

Neil Harris ran into the box and smashed home his first United goal on 30 minutes, before Annis shot home straight after the interval to seal the win and push United further towards a Division 1 return.

WORTHING v Storrington: Standen; P.Proto, Curnow, Philpott; Mitchell, Hayward, Harris, Benn, Hibberd; Elliot, Annis. Subs: Bean, Joseph (Mitchell, Hibberd 45), Blundell (Elliot 60).

v Oakwood: Standen; P.Proto, Curnow, Philpott; Joseph, Harris, Benn, Hayward, Hibberd; Mitchell, Annis. Subs: Bean, Corkhill, Moody.

Richard Ayres' stunning 85th-minute 3-2 winner gave Storrington all three points and the local bragging rights with the perfect response to Saturday's defeat as they won at Steyning, who plunged further into relegation trouble.

Craig Grantham's ball forward dropped just behind Ayres, but he turned and lashed a stunning over-the-shoulder volley past the bemused Mike Abbott into the bottom corner.

Steyning's Chris Duffett struck the post from a cross by the excellent Pat Rose early on. But Rose did put Town ahead in the 22nd minute. He ran at the Storrington defence, shrugged off three defenders and fired low into the corner.

Grantham headed over and Steve Tasker had a shot saved before Swans equalised two minutes before the break. Ayres ball across the box evaded the Steyning defence and fell to Tasker, who rolled home.

The goal lifted Swans and they moved ahead in spectacular fashion in the 55th minute. John Rhodie's cross fell to substitute Liam Humphreys, whose overhead kick found the bottom corner.

Lee Waterhouse marked his Steyning return with an equaliser when his cross deflected in off Stuart McCall, but Ayres won the day with his brilliant finish.

Hamilton said: "It was a good win, they were a bit unfortunate but it was an open game and we just about deserved it. Our three goals were excellent in different ways, but I felt that once we equalised it knocked the stuffing out of them. I was pleased with the result and performance."

STORRINGTON v United: G.Elliott; Davis, Colwell, Blaydon, Watton; Johnson, Rhodie, Humphreys, S.Tasker; J.Tasker, Ayres. Subs: Carter, Hunter (Watton, Johnson 60), S. Elliott (Humphreys 70).

v Steyning: G.Elliott; Davis, S.Elliott, Carter, McCall; S.Tasker, Rhodie, Harding, Johnson; Grantham, Ayres. Subs: Humphreys (Johnson 20), Blaydon (Elliott 80), Hunter, J.Tasker.

Lancing manager Martin Gander was bitterly disappointed with his side's performance as they lost 5-1 at Southwick on Easter Monday in County League Division 2.

The win was Wickers' first in the league since November '“ 16 games ago '“ and Gander said: "We gave in too easily. We've lost only one game this season when we've gone in front, but haven't got heart and desire when we go behind.

"I just can't accept a performance like that. All the players just blamed each other and it was very disappointing.

"Losing like that, and this is the second time I've said this this season, is embarrassing. It's hard to take. If we play like that against Worthing United on Saturday, it will be a cricket score."

Lancers' Scott Hunt and Darren Boswell both shot wide before Southwick took a 10th-minute lead through Simon Bailey.

Bailey struck a post shortly afterwards before Lancers' Dan Griffin shot just wide and Lee Garnham's effort was saved.

Garnham headed a golden opportunity wide on 40 minutes and Wickers made him pay immedately when, within 30 seconds, Ryan Walton tapped home after a James Wotherspoon shot was parried.

Walton brilliantly made it 3-0 on 43 minutes with a 20-yarder and he completed a 12-minute hat-trick on 53 minutes when he bundled home.

Lancers' Chris Gander and Garnham were off target before they got a goal back on 81 minutes when Boswell curled home a free kick.

Wickers restored their four-goal lead within two minutes, though, as Walton set up Bailey, who stroked the ball home from 15 yards.

LANCING: Green; Ford, C.Gander, Mighall, Early; Hunt, Beard, Garnham; Boswell, Griffin, Clayton. Subs: Tuppin (Griffin 66), Burton (Clayton 77), Skipper (Hunt 78), Foster, Rea.

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