EP get started with back-to-back wins

Reigning champions EP, who had won 3-1 at Hailsham on Saturday, were frustrated for large periods of the game by a resolute Lancing defence but goals from Liam Baitup and a Joe Shelley penalty ensured they took all three points.

East Preston manager Dominic Di Paola was disappointed with the visitors’ tactics and said: “It’s never good when you play against teams like that who just park the bus, it kind of killed the game tonight.

“But that’s their prerogative to do that and we kept the ball well.

“We did get frustrated for periods when we could not break them down but a 2-0 win is something you can never complain about.”

It was East Preston who began the brighter and nearly went ahead on five minutes. Darren Boswell’s free kick was parried by keeper James Shaw into the path of Charlie Farmer but his header was cleared off the line.

Lancing had the chance to go ahead on 13 minutes but Jake Mills’s cross from the right evaded both Marcus Robertshaw and Mike Williamson.

EP did take the lead on 21 minutes when Alex Duncan crossed from the right and Baitup beat his marker at the front post to head home.

Duncan should have got his name on the scoresheet just eight minutes later when he was found unmarked six yards out from a Niall O’Hagan cross, but he shot straight at Shaw.

Ryan McBride then thought he had doubled his side’s advantage when he fired home from close range a minute before the break but his effort was ruled out for offside.

EP continued to apply pressure in the second half and had the opportunity for a second on 74 minutes when McBride was tripped by Ollie Davis and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

Shelley made no mistake from the spot as East Preston recorded their second victory of the season.

EAST PRESTON: Collick; O’Hagan, Farmer, Pullan, Duncan; Axell, Shelley, Hunt, Boswell; McBride, Baitup. Subs: Herbert (Baitup 69), Charles (Boswell 77), Thetford (McBride 84), Keehan, Boddy.