Town warmed up for Wednesday’s John O’Hara League Cup semi-final against Crawley Down with a comfortable victory at bottom club Midhurst & Easebourne. The west Sussex club had been despatched from the Crouch early in the season on the wrong end of a 7-0 hiding and it should have been a similar score on Saturday, but a mix of poor finishing and rash defending prevented that.
With Drew Greenall unavailable and Seb Kazemi injured it meant starts for Tom Callaghan and Lewis Parsons in their places.
It was the visitors that settled first with Dean Paston heading wide and Chris Stanyard forcing a good save from home ‘keeper Dixon, who pushed the ball round the post for a corner.
It was a corner that set up the opening goal after 14 minutes, Stanyard floating the ball into the box and from the ensuing melee Dan Pollard pounced at the far post to slide the ball home.
A Paston shot was deflected for corner as Town continued to press forward but it wasn’t until 7 minutes from the interval that they added their second goal. A superb pas from Sean Breach found Paston and his cross to the far post was headed back by Stanyard. A defender managed to head the ball away, but only to Parsons 22 yards out and he returned it with interest into the bottom corner of Dixon’s net. It was a superb first time strike and the ball barely left the ground on its entire journey to the goal.
Town started the second half in determined style and Stanyard quickly added to Midhurst’s woe when he turned Parsons shot past Dixon at the far post and with the points virtually in the bag Sean Brownell was withdrawn for Martin Eldridge, a move that allowed Pollard to play alongside Adam Kneller at the heart of the defence. This was with Wednesday in mind as Town’s skipper is suspended for the semi-final after picking up his 5th booking of the season at Peacehaven 3 weeks ago.
This seemed to have the wrong effect as Midhurst struck almost immediately when Ashley Holloway was brought down in the penalty area by Paston. James Wills stepped up to drive the resulting penalty wide of McDonnell to reduce the arrears.
The home side’s thoughts of snatching a point were soon despatched though, with Matt Jones curling the ball to the far post where Sean Breach was on hand to head past Dixon.
Four minutes later Town made it 5-1 when Pollard found Callaghan’s head and he guided it into the box where Stanyard pounced to volley the ball past Dixon for another fine goal.
A quick break caught Town leaden footed and Luke Sheldrick took advantage to score, before Paston rounded off the scoring in injury time, drawing Dixon off his line, and then guiding it past him on the ground. Hopefully Town will be less generous with their defending on Wednesday, or they can plan without a game on Good Friday, the date of the final.

Team: D.McDonnell, Jones (Moore), Pollard, Kneller, Brownell (Eldridge), Parsons, B.Dartnall, Breach (K.Doherty), Stanyard, Callaghan, Paston.
Man of the Match: Adam Kneller (Dominant in defence and always a threat with a dead ball)

Next Week
On Wednesday evening Town travel to Middle Road, Shoreham where they take on Crawley Down in the semi-final of the John O’Hara League Cup. Having already disposed of 4 Division One sides in the competition, confidence is certainly growing and they should have no fear if they can reach the level of performance that has got them to this stage.
Unfortunately they are without their captain and defence powerhouse Sean Brownell through suspension, having picked up his 5th booking of the season at Peacehaven 3 weeks ago, but Dan Pollard is once again available and should step straight in alongside Adam Kneller.
On Saturday Division 2 leaders Loxwood are the visitors to the Crouch and Bob Laundon will be hoping there is no reaction to whatever Wednesday’s result might be.