Steyning Town take bragging rights at last over misfiring Billingshurst

‘Hurst suffered a setback before the game even began, with three players pulling out of the matchday squad but the opening half an hour was an even affair.

With both sides trading blows in the opening exchanges, it was Steyning who landed a one-two sucker punch.

Rob Clark swept home for the hosts on 33 minutes before Dominik Ozga doubled the lead just two minutes later to give Steyning a 2-0 lead.

‘Hurst battled hard to reduce the deficit but found themselves two goals down at the break.

The second 45 minutes belonged to the visitors, as Billingshurst created chance after chance but they couldn’t take any of their opportunities.

With the game dying out, the away side couldn’t find a goal to make the final few minutes a nervy affair and Steyning brought home a hard-fought win.

After the result Town lie in fourth, four points off AFC Vardeanians in first, while ‘Hurst find themselves 15th.

Steyning boss Gerry Murphy was pleased to pick up a win against a side they have struggled against in the past and has backed his team to begin notching up goals.

He said: “It was pleasing to get a win against a team we lost to both times last season. It wasn’t our best performance but it was also good to keep a clean sheet.

“We really are playing like a team without getting the goals maybe we should, but I’m sure it will improve.

“On Saturday we travel to Alfold who have started really well so we will be expecting a difficult game, like most games are in this division.”

Billingshurst boss Luis Freitas said: “Saturday’s game was very hard to take because we made two mistakes and they scored from it and still we managed to create good scoring opportunities.

“In the second half it was all us, but again we just couldn’t take our chances.

“This season was always going be tough to take because I’ve got players who haven’t played in this league, let alone this standard, but they are doing very well and we are all learning a lot about each other.”

Freitas also praised the ability of young Billingshurst defender Harry Bryant and felt that ‘he will only get better’.

He said: "Harry Bryant turned 18 a few days ago and last season was playing with the third team and this season he has been with me all pre-season playing first team football. He will only get better, he has been outstanding the last few games.”

‘Hurst host sixth-placed Wick on Saturday.

Steyning Town: Banasco-Zaragoza, Clark, Maher, Faber, Timms, Gathern, Parazo, Haulkham, Ozga, Bull, Sabino. Subs: Brooks, Taylor, Neatherway.

Billingshurst: Hopkins, Bryant, Simester, Somoiag, Rendall, Bowles, Obreja, Spiers, Stallibrass, Chadwick, Vaduva. Subs: Brooker, Bagwell.