Billingshurst fail to hang on against Selsey and suffer extra-time cup exit

Hurst started the better and led on 22 minutes as a short-corner routine saw Paul White’s cross fall to Jordan Stallibrass who flicked the ball home.

It took until the 54th minute for Selsey to muster their first real chance as Hurst’s debutant keeper Liam Mathews was called into action making two fine saves. With Hurst looking like they would hang on, their spirits were broken on 85 minutes when Selsey equalised through James Kilhams as his defected effort wrong-footed Mathews.

The keeper did pull off a fine save from a point-blank range header late on to force extra-time.

Ben Simester pulled up with a hamstring injury and left Hurst with 10 players as they’d used all three substitutes. Then on 106 minutes, Selsey went ahead as Ryan Morey clipped the ball over the advancing Mathews. Hurst manager Chris Simmons – on as a substitute – almost grabbed a leveller, but his 25-yard effort was well saved.

Simmons said: “It was another gritty performance from us and it was just a shame we couldn’t add the elusive second goal when we were on top or hang for that last five minutes in normal time.

“That said, we were fortunate to have a keeper of Liam’s calibrate between the posts as they thought they’d won it right on 90 minutes, but his save was superb.”

Billingshurst: Mathews, Bradshaw, Simester, Carse, H.Bowles, F.Bowles, Lambkin (Simmons 90), Joels, Chadwick (Game 70), White (Hancock 60), Stallibrass.