Chichester City win second trophy - and football season's not started yet!
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It is Chichester's second trophy of the summer - and the season has not started yet. They also scooped the Dave Kew Memorial Cup for beating Pagham and Selsey.
Against Christchurch, Callum Overton had put the hosts one up on the half hour after Ryan Pennery went over in the box, but Eder Batista’s 65th minute equaliser set up another dramatic finale.
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Hide AdThe match is played annually for the Steve Bernard Foundation, in memory of a popular Chichester student who was killed in a road accident.
Boss Miles Rutherford made four changes to the City XI that started against English Universities mid-week.
Worthing player Conrad Honore, who certainly caught the eye, lined up in midfield; Connor Cody returned at centre back; and Ethan Prichard and Overton also got the nod.
Chichester created a couple of chances in the opening minutes with Lloyd Rowlatt, who pulled the strings in the middle of the park for an hour, almost forcing a defender into an own goal only for his keeper to palm his misplaced header away.
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Hide AdThe visitors headed a corner wide before Ryan Pennery earned a second arguably soft penalty of the week for Chi.
Overton stepped up and slotted into the bottom right-hand corner to give the home side a 31st minute lead.
Spurred on by this Chichester won a catalogue of corners in the last five minutes or so of the half but couldn’t capitalise on any of these.
Batista levelled things up, sliding the ball home at the near post following a cross from the right before a teammate crashed an effort into the side-netting.
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Hide AdThe game went straight to penalties. The visitors scored the first one and a precise spot kick from Dinsmore made it 1-1. Magee saved penalty two before Alex Weinberger put Chi 2-1 up. The next four takers all converted which left Dellaud, cucumber cool, to wrap it up with Chi’s fifth.
Tony Bernard, Steve’s father and founder of the Steve Bernard Foundation which has supported many sporting projects, presented the trophy..
Chi face Newport on the Isle of Wight on Saturday. Their season ‘proper’ begins a week later in the FA Cup.