Littlehampton Town pay penalty in lively cup exit to ‘ridiculously talented’ Brighton & Hove Albion youngsters

Steady, fine rainfall at the Sportsfield didn’t prevent Golds from playing their part in a competitive tie that featured with gilt-edged chances for both teams, which could have resulted in a cricket score.

And joint manager Mitch Hand was buoyed by his side’s response to their stuttering Isthmian South East league form as they created an attacking threat against Albion’s impressive starlets, who are the current cup holders.Hand said: “I thought it was a good performance against a ridiculously talented side. The reaction to a disappointing few results was all that mattered to me and we got that. We had our moments and had we scored the penalty, I think we would have made a real game of it.”Lucas Pattenden struck the bar in Golds’ best chance of the first half, sandwiched between Albion’s fine finish in the second minute, and they made it two just before half-time after capitalising on a kind ricochet.

Golds’ attacking efforts were deserving of a goal and the scoreline marginally flattered Albion’s young guns. Scott Kirkwood watched on as his thumping penalty was saved soon after the break and the Seagulls rounded off their victory and composed display by pouncing on a misplaced pass in Golds’ rear guard.For Hand, the free-hit against cup holders Albion provided a welcome distraction from their recent league struggles and Golds’ arguably created the better chances against the Premier League 2 youngsters.He added: “I was proud of the performance and can’t knock the players at all. They went toe-to-toe with a quality side and had we been more clinical, it would have been a different story. Now we’ve got to focus on picking up points in the league and not allow the season to fizzle out.”Albion got on the ball from referee Peter Dingle’s first whistle and exhibited their slick passing on a sodden pitch which quickly silenced the healthy crowd of 621. With two minutes on the clock, sharp, incisive build-up play on the right-wing culminated in striker Ben Wilson dispatching a first-time shot from the edge of the box past Golds’ goalkeeper Kieron Thorp.

For 10 minutes Golds were visibly rocked by the early setback and Albion controlled possession before Pattenden clipped the crossbar after latching onto a clever lofted ball over the top of Albion’s high defensive line.

Quickfire successive chances were spurned by Golds on 20 minutes, including a good stop by Brighton goalkeeper Fynn Talley. Young Seagulls’ forward Marcus Ifill doubled the visitors’ advantage in the 39th minute and made amends for earlier side-footing a square ball wide of the post from close range. Ifill seized the ball after it cannoned into his path off a Golds’ defender and blasted home from a one-on-one position.The end-to-end action continued in the second half with both sides throwing caution to the wind (and rain) in search of an all important third goal.

Littlehampton were awarded a 47th minute penalty and a key opportunity to put the tie back in the balance, but momentum swung Brighton’s way when Talley blocked Kirkwood’s low and hard effort down the middle.

Tidy Albion midfielder Jamie Mullins saw a shot deflected off the crossbar from a corner, while substitute Bailey Smith missed an open goal having rounded Thorp in the pick of their second half chances.

Seagulls’ eye-catching right winger, Benicio Baker-Boaitey was a dangerous attacking outlet throughout and capped a man of the match performance by firing a left-foot goal after intercepting a poor pass at the back and beating both Golds’ last defender and Thorp.Golds travel to fifth-placed Ashford United on Saturday (3pm) aiming to get back on track in Isthmian South East league action.Littlehampton Town: Thorp, Packer, Jarvis, Faber, Clark (Bold 71), Jenkins (Rohilla 58), Pattenden, Kirkwood, Fender, Gaskin (Donaldson 71), Short; Subs: Rohilla (Jenkins 58), Herbert, Bold (Clark 71), Donaldson (Gaskin 71), Benn.Yellow cards: Jarvis, Gaskin, Faber, Clark, FenderBrighton & Hove Albion U21s: Talley, Packham, Shann, McConville, Kavanagh, Everitt, Baker-Boaitey, Mullins (Mills 84), Wilson, Duffus (Knight 87), Ifill (Smith 72); Subs: Knight (Duffus 87), Reid, Smith (Ifill 72), Penman, Mills (Mullins 84).Yellow cards: Ifill, Everitt.

Who’s left in the Senior Cup?

Brighton U21s and Worthing are through to the semi-finals. Bognor meet Bexhill in the third quarter-final next Tuesday (Feb 28) and Hastings await the winners of the much-put-off Midhurst v Eastbourne United for the final last-eight game. The final will be at the Amex.