Rustington beat Southwick

Southwick started the match the faster with some quick passing almost undoing Rustington straight away, but a good effort from Blues’ Ryan Hudson went just wide.

After soaking up some early pressure, Rustington gradually got into the game. They demonstrated some good patient build-up play and got the break through they needed when Steve Kirkham was needlessly pushed over in the box and Adam Bibb converted the resulting penalty.

Blues manager Brett Torode said: “After a slow start, the penalty gave us a good break and we took advantage and dominated for the rest of the half.

“We continued to dominate in the second half and perhaps should have won more comfortably, but I am very happy with the result.”

It would be difficult to argue with him as Rustington continued to look comfortable in possession and seemed likely to add to their goal.

In fact, they did just that early in the second half when a misguided defensive header from Southwick’s Nick Green put Kirkham through on goal.

He managed to beat Southwick keeper Piers Walsh to the bouncing ball and calmly nodded into the bottom corner.

At this point, most would have expected Rustington to push on and win comfortably. However, Southwick showed good character to get themselves back into the game.

They pressurised Rustington into giving away a free kick, which was whipped in from the left side by Aston McLennan and deflected in by Idriz Adedoja on the hour, giving them the instant reply that was needed.

Unfortunately for Southwick, they failed to keep up this intense pressure and with Rustington’s good possession play, they never really threatened a equaliser.

Rustington finally put the game to bed in stoppage time when substitute Ross Adams finished neatly after some good forward play from Matt Huckett.

RUSTINGTON: McCarthy; Neal, Sayers, Bibb; Bennett, Jones, Hudson, Huckett, Green; Boxall, S.Kirkham Subs: Adams (Kirkham 73), Matthews, Wimbleton (Hudson, Boxall 82), Butcher, Romsey.