Chichester City and Pagham up for cup – Selsey set for big SCFL effort

Miles Rutherford’s team visit Isthmian south central side Southall in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup – the contest in which they made national headlines in 2019 by reaching the second round before losing at Tranmere.

They will be eager to embark on another run and get their season off to a positive start, with the Isthmian south-east division programme getting under way away to Phoenix Sports a week later.

City are set to be playing home games at Nyewood Lane for part of the season while a new 3G pitch is installed at Oaklands Park.

Pagham’s competitive season under new manager Jason Mines began with an SCFL premier defeat, 1-0 at home to Crawley Down Gatwick.

The Lions were unlucky to drop all three points to a CDG side expected to be near the top this season.

Kieron Howard and Jamie Carroll had half-chances to put the Lions ahead but the Anvils gradually took control.

In the second half Dan Simmonds announced his return to Nyetimber Lane with an appearance off the bench.

But the winner in the 80th minute came when a ball in from the right was nodded home by Oli Leslie.

Pagham are also in FA Cup action on Saturday – they host Isthmian south east side East Grinstead Town in the extra preliminary round.

- STEVE BONE & PAUL DAVIDSON

SELSEY FC

Selsey FC boss Daren Pearce talks us through the Blues’ warm-up for the new SCFL Division 1 season.

We’ve had a good pre-season programme prepairing the group for another competitive campaign, writes Pearce.

We’ve been busy putting the lads through their paces and working towards being ready, getting minutes in the legs during games and in training. We’ve been really pleased with the application and effort the group have put in.

Pre-season games have given us time to assess some of the lads coming through the U18s and U23s. We have a few new signings and coupled with our lads we re-signed from last season, we feel we will be competitive again.

It will be no doubt another tough league – sides relegated into the division plus those promoted or moving sideways will make it the toughest yet, we feel.

We’re still building the club, with a new U23 management team in place led by Joseph Hill. Our U18s continue under Graham Jones and his coaches.

We have a new U16 squad, led by Andy Franklin to help players develop towards the U18s and senior football.

Our younger teams are progressing well and Selsey FC Women enter another season at tier four under the new leadership of manager Rhys Griffiths.

We are offering everyone the chance of good local football and look forward to welcoming all supporters back.

First fixtures: Sat 5th, A to Godalming; Tue 8th H to Mile Oak (7.45pm); Sat 12th H to Seaford.