Ferring lose at Hurstpierpoint

Adam Horne had put the home side in front on 17 minutes, but after Josh Gibbons had equalised with a free-kick on the half-hour mark, Blues then squandered several chances to go in front.

Simon Corona went close, Steve Gettings fired wide and Paul Rapps saw his header saved, but they failed to capitalise and second-half strikes from Rick Peacock and Horne’s second condemned Ferring to their third league defeat of the season.

Ferring manager Craig Stuart said: “It was frustrating and our second-half performance was disppointing and not good enough.

“Their second goal killed us and we got tired late on and showed inexperience.

“It’s a steep learning curve, but we haven’t lost successive games this season.

“I felt that if we’d scored when we were on top, it could have been different but it wasn’t to be. On the plus side, though, Dale Nally was excellent for us in his first game in central midfield.”

Ferring do not have a game this weekend.

FERRING: Westwater; Cranford, Christodoulou, McKenzie, Gibbons; Bryans, Nally, Rapps; M.Robertshaw, Corona, Gettings. Subs: Rogers (Rapps 60), Clarke (Robertshaw 70), Searle (Bryans 78).