Lightning strikes Chichester City twice – Southall knock them out of FA Trophy

Goals from Jaden Thompson-Brissett and Anthony O’Connor got Southall through after Ethan Prichard had given Chi an early lead.

Prichard returned in place of the unavailable Josh Clack and early on it was Southall pressing.

Luke Heneghan hooked up with Darreon Mark only for Rob Hutchings to get a block in. At the other end pressure from Kaleem Haitham and Prichard forced Southall keeper Michael Edegbe to clear.

Chi created a decent opportunity when a through ball by Emmett Dunn beat the trap but Lee Seok-jae couldn’t lift it over Edegbe.

Joshua Green and Thompson-Brissett threatened Kieran Magee’s goal before City lost Haitham to injury with Conrad Honore replacing him.

A Ryan Davidson delivery was too close to the keeper before centre back Ben Pashley dealt with a long ball.

A mix-up between Southall captain Azeez Alabi and Edegbe gifted Prichard the simplest of tasks of slotting into an empty net on 15 minutes to open his 2023-24 account.

A clever Heneghan free-kick to Thompson-Brissett resulted in a fierce effort which Magee palmed around a post .

The equaliser came after the drinks break as the 1878 Stadium basked in sweltering sunshine when Southall got in too easily and a cut back gave the No7 a chance which he slotted home.

Abdul Nurein hacked Honore down but Chi wasted the set-piece.

Dunn was caught two minutes later as Green became the first player to get yellow-carded.

A super Steve Hutchings knock-on to Lee and a little exchange sent Chi away but a player had strayed offside.

Rob Hutchings made a brilliant tackle in the area to deny Mark and Magee punched away a Thompson-Brissett cross.

Nice passes between Prichard, Honore and Davidson teed Pashley up for a delivery that an offside Steve Hutchings met.

Lee hit one high and wide after a push on Steve Hutchings in the box was overlooked.

Curtis Da Costa picked up a nasty head injury battling for the ball and Southall grabbed what proved to be the winner in the 57th minute, again all too easily.

A lovely twist and turn by Honore allowed him to find Steve Hutchings, who was impeded by Roper.

Edegbe’s fantastic fingertip save denied Rob Hutchings moments later.

Honore spun two opponents and pulled an impressive stop out of Edegbe.

Isaac Bello came on for Lee and a mistimed challenge on him earned O’Connor a booking in the 73rd minute. Rob

Chi rolled the dice and the hosts denied Prichard effectively after a measured pass from Honore.

Dunn and Davidson played a neat one-two and earned a free-kick which was wasted.

Taylor’s excellent last-ditch tackle prevented Bello breaking in and the corner was hacked away as Southall held on.

Miles Rutherford’s men welcome Hythe Town to Bognor’s Nyewood Lane for an Isthmian South East league encounter on Saturday.