Kaleem Haitham opened the scoring early on and minutes into the second half Lewis Hyde made it 2-0. Lloyd Rowlatt scored to make it 3-0 on 63 minutes and in the closing stages Isaac Bello poked the ball in from close range for Chi’s fourth.

It was the visitors who started the game and were quick to try and put some early pressure on that Chi dealt with well.

With one of Chichester’s first attacks of the game, Haitham found the net. Ben Pashley played a great ball over the away defence into the path of the No.7. He then cut in from the left and coolly took the ball past the goalkeeper and fired it into the empty net.

Only minutes later, Ethan Prichard saw his shot go narrowly wide of the far post.

Chi won their first corner of the game on 14 minutes, and it was played short which allowed the Haywards Heath defence to close the ball down and prevent it from getting into the box.

The Chichester midfield of Rowlatt, Emmett Dunn and Jamie Horncastle were all working and pressing well together to win the ball back to stop any attack that the visitors were trying to create.

Rowlatt ran through on goal from Josh Clack’s through ball, but Ben Holden quickly got back to stop him.

A Chichester corner was played to Rowlatt on the edge of the 18-yard box and his attempt was blocked and looped into the air. Pashley brought it down and played it to Haitham who saw his attempt go over.

Haywards Heath’s Alex Laing tried to find Leon Moore at the back post, but Kieran Magee read the cross well and was out to claim it.

Rob Hutchings ran forward with the ball to find Clack who quickly played it back to him. The left-back found Rowlatt and he looked to send Prichard through on goal, but his pass was cut out.

Five minutes before half-time, Prichard nearly doubled Chi’s lead as his shot bounced back off the post.

The away side had the first chance of the second half as Laing got a shot away that took a deflection and fell comfortably for Magee.

On 49 minutes, Hyde made it 2-0 to Chichester City. Rowlatt played a corner into a dangerous area and Hyde’s powerful header found the back of the net.

Prichard was fouled on the edge of the area on 55 minutes and stepped up to take the free-kick, which hit the wall.

Just after the hour mark, Rowlatt added his name to the scoresheet. Horncastle played a well-weighted pass through the middle of the defence and Rowlatt found the bottom corner rolling the ball past Billy Collings.

Clack went close to scoring but was denied by a good save from Collings who was out quickly to close the angle.

Hyde was called into action to make an important interception inside the six-yard box, preventing the attacker from getting a shot away.

Cameron Dobell had Haywards Heath’s best chance of the game on 79 minutes as his shot went inches wide of the post.

In stoppage time, Bello scored Chi’s fourth goal. Haitham’s shot was blocked and after a scramble in the box, Bello managed to get his foot to the ball and poke it into the bottom corner.

The win sees Chichester City move up to 12th in the Isthmian League South East Division.

Chichester City’s next game sees them host Lancing at Oaklands Park on Tuesday 31st January, with kick-off at 7:45pm.

Chichester City: Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Dunn, Hyde, Pashley, Haitham, Horncastle, Clack, Rowlatt, Prichard (Moore, Bello, Munt, Clarke)