The only goal of the match came four minutes before half-time. Goalkeeper Chloe Simmonds came off her line and cleared the ball, but it fell to the attacker who was able to find the empty net.
Chichester City got the game underway and three minutes in it was Simmonds who reacted well to a long pass over the defence as she came out quickly to claim the ball.
On eight minutes, Chi had their first chance of the game. Morgan Bond looked to play Molly Jones through on goal, but her pass just ran through to the goalkeeper.
Six minutes later, Katie Long played a good pass out towards Gaby Hobday on the right-wing, but the defender just managed to get there before the Chichester captain, and it was cleared away.
Mikki Collins fired an effort towards goal from the edge of the area which was held by the goalkeeper.
Moments later, Payton Howard looked to find the bottom corner, but couldn’t get enough curl on her shot.
Simmonds was needed to make an important save as she got down low to her right to keep the game level.
Hobday produced some great play on 27 minutes as she beat two players to get inside the penalty area, only to see her left-footed shot saved.
Just after the half-hour mark, Simmonds commanded her penalty area well and claimed the ball from an Eversley & California corner and won a free-kick for Chichester after being fouled by the jumping attacker.
Eloise Williams turned out well from defence and found M.Bond. She then played it to Jones who won a corner for Chi. The resulting corner was crossed to the near post and unfortunately came to nothing.
On 41 minutes, the hosts went in front. Simmonds reacted well to come off her line and reach the ball before the attacker, but her clearance fell to an Eversley & California player who found the empty net to give the hosts the lead.
Chichester City started the second half positively and on 49 minutes, K.Long thought she had brought the game level, only to be denied by the offside flag.
Chi played a clever quick free-kick on 61 minutes and Jones squared the ball to Howard. However, her touch allowed the goalkeeper to close the angle and stop the shot.
Two minutes later, Howard played a brilliant pass across the six-yard box, but there wasn’t a green and white shirt there to direct it towards goal.
Howard did well to win a free-kick for Chichester on the edge of the Eversley & California 18-yard box. K.Long stepped up to take it but put her shot wide of the top right corner.
Chichester continued to press for an equaliser in the final 10 minutes and Hobday went close as she dragged her shot wide.
Collins had another chance just outside of the area and this time she sent her shot over.
The final chance of the game fell for Howard as her shot towards the bottom corner was just held by the goalkeeper.
Next up for Chichester City Women is a league match away to Southampton Women’s Reserves on Sunday 23rd January with kick-off at 2pm.
Chichester City: Simmonds, Andrade-Paris, Collins, Howard, Williams, K.Long, Jones, Hobday, M.Bond, C.Long, C.Bond
Substitutes: Boxall, Bundy, Butler, Verrinder
