After 180 minutes of FA Cup football this week which saw us exit the competition on Tuesday night with a narrow 1-0 defeat, we are back in action at the Maurice Rebak Stadium on Saturday with an opportunity to bounce back against visitors Chichester City.
Our Opponents
Chichester City finished in 5th place last season in the Isthmian South East division, which saw them secure the final playoff spot in that division, alongside Ramsgate, Sittingbourne and Three Bridges, while Cray Valley PM were promoted as champions. In the playoffs, Chichester beat Ramsgate 1-0 in the semi-finals, which would have come as a shock to some, with many fancying 2nd placed Ramsgate to win the division altogether after their FA Cup exploits. This win set up a playoff final at Three Bridges where Chichester City secured a resounding 5-0 victory, settling any nerves with a goal inside the first minute, adding two further goals in each half.
Chichester City in its current form was established in 2000, with the previous Chichester City dating back to 1873, before its merger in 2000 with Portfield FC. In 2018/19, the Lilywhites were promoted from the Southern Combination Premier Division as champions (step 5) into the Isthmian South East, where they stayed for a few years either side of the pandemic, before securing their playoff promotion in 2023/24.
This season, Chichester City have made a steady start in their new division, with three wins and three defeats giving the Lilywhites nine points from their opening six matches, putting them in 10th place, two points and four places above the Blues going into this fixture. Highlights so far include a 3-2 win at Cheshunt; twice coming from behind before scoring a goal in the last few minutes to secure the win, and a 2-1 win over local rivals Bognor Regis in front of a bumper crowd of over 1,300 fans at Oaklands Park. In the FA Cup, it was a similar story for Chichester to the Blues, securing a replay on Saturday only to lose narrowly on Tuesday night to National League South side Slough Town.
Did you know? In 2019/20, Chichester City had their best ever FA Cup performance, thanks in part to a stroke of luck in the First Round Proper draw. Due to Bury's unfortunate demise, Chichester City received a bye in the First Round draw, seeing them through to the Second Round where they travelled to Tranmere Rovers as the lowest ranked side in the competition at that stage, where they ultimately lost 5-1.
Head to Head
Since Chichester City's formation in 2000, we have not yet faced each other given the Lilywhites recent progression to this level, so this fixture is a bit of a collectors' item!
Last Time Out
In the aforementioned FA Cup clashes against Slough Town, it was a 2-2 draw at home last Saturday thanks to a late equaliser in extra time before another late goal on Tuesday night but this time not enough to salvage anything, falling 2-1 to the National League South side. In the league, Chichester's last match was a victory, thanks to Jimmy Wild's late winner at Cheshunt, securing a good 3-2 win in Hertfordshire.
The Blues faced a similar situation, with Ogo Obi scoring a dramatic late penalty at Flamingo Park last weekend to secure a home replay before a solitary goal on Tuesday night from Cray saw them through to the Third Qualifying Round. In our last match in the league, ten-man Blues fell to a late goal against Bognor as the Rocks won 2-1 to take all three points on the south coast.
Players To Watch
One man that has been finding the net for Chichester on a regular basis this season is forward Jimmy Wild. The striker has scored five goals in the league so far this season (eight in all competitions), having netted 17 last season in just three months at the end of last season, including four in one game in April as he fired the Lilywhites into the playoffs. Like the Blues, Chichester are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league so goalkeeper Kieran Magee will be looking to put that straight on Saturday; the stopper has been with Chichester throughout each of the last two seasons.
For the Blues, defender Bobby Webb played 180 minutes in our two FA Cup matches this week, as the teenager continues his development under the watchful eye of Rifat, Machel and co. Meanwhile, on Tuesday night, Matty Achuba returned to the starting XI for the Blues for the first time since the playoff semi-final last season. Achuba has been with the Blues since August 2021 and was awarded the player of the season award last year. All at the club are pleased to see Matty return and look forward to his tenacious work rate in our midfield.
Tickets for the game can be purchased in advance here or on the gate on matchday, with cash and card accepted throughout the stadium. All draught pints are £4.50 if purchased before 2.15pm and all season ticket holders and paying home supporters can get a FREE t-shirt at tomorrow's match - we look forward to welcoming you tomorrow!
Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.
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