Without the suspended Ryan Davidson and Emmett Dunn, who was shown a straight red when ten-man Chi beat Lewes at the Dripping Pan mid-week last month, Miles Rutherford, Dabba, Danny Potter & Co made a couple of changes to the starting XI that were knocked out of the FA Trophy a week ago by Farnham. Theo Bennetts came in at right back alongside skipper Rob Hutchings on the other side with stalwarts Ben Pashley and Curtis Da Costa in the centre of the back four in front of keeper Kieran Magee. Joe Moore lined up at No4 together with Lloyd Rowlatt, Joe Clarke, Isaac Bello, Ethan Prichard and Mo Jammeh.
And the hosts began with intent as Rooks keeper Louis Rogers was forced into a save in the opening minute to deny Bello, scorer of the lone-goal winner in September, before Clarke almost got Rowlatt in sixty seconds later.
Moore then cleverly intercepted an away side forward pass to Devonte West three minutes in and the Lewes player was flagged offside, not for the last time, moments later. Hutchings and Moore linked up and won a throw off Ryan Bernal in the next City attack which came to nothing and Bernal whacked an attempt into the side netting at the Tennis Club end.
Kaan Bennett earned the visitors a corner off Hutchings on nine minutes which Antonio Morgan delivered and Magee punched clear before the Chi No1 claimed an Arezki Hamouchene cross without any trouble.
In the 12th minute Clarke had a go that fizzed narrowly wide and West blazed one high and wide for the away side.
Jammeh, Rowlatt and Prichard then combined for the latter to try his luck which was prevented only for the loose ball to fall to Rowlatt who fired home the opener from close range 16 minutes in.
Morgan was caught offside by a well-marshalled City back line and Bennetts fizzed an effort low and hard to Rogers’ right.
Magee was off his line smartly to tackle Morgan magnificently at the mid-point of the first half and Hutchings whipped over a corner from the College Lane flank that Bennetts headed in beyond the despairing Rogers on 27 minutes.
Bernal might have pulled one back for the away team but his header when Morgan crossed went over the bar and on the half hour mark Magee claimed a Morgan set-piece comfortably.
Next, Pashley tackled West cleanly to snuff out any danger and Jabari Christmas’ forward ball was too firm and went out for a City goal kick.
Bennetts, who shone all game, won the hosts a corner which was smuggled away and a fine Hutchings’ tackle broke up the Lewes counter attack.
Then Jammeh went down for some physio treatment on 38 and after a short delay had to be exchanged for Olly Munt before Bello’s header nearly teed up Rowlatt although Clement Asiedu managed to divert the ball safely back to Rogers.
Bennetts was on hand to intervene when former Chi player Finlay Chadwick instigated an attack and at the other end either Rowlatt or Prichard were adjudged offside by one of referee Robert Ablitt’s assistants.
West was similarly flagged offside as we headed towards the break and Rogers came out and headed clear as Chichester sought a third goal.
The West Sussex side won a corner on the stroke of halftime which Hutchings once again played in to the front stick this time and Pashley’s glancing header put City 3-0 up at the interval.
Chadwick, Hamouchene, Bennett and captain Ian Gayle were all replaced for the second half as Lewes completely rejigged.
And substitute Charlie Walker thought he had pulled one back but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Next, Asiedu returned his header to Rogers easily enough and at the Archery End Da Costa cleared a Rooks’ throw-in before a dangerous cross was only inches away from Walker as the visitors threatened again.
Clarke, impressive all game, blocked to give Lewes a corner which Morgan as usual delivered, although the ball was headed out for a Lillywhites’ goal kick ten-minutes into the second period.
Rowlatt then played a delicious pass to Munt which was diverted for a Bello bomb throw that caused Lewes some problems and moments later Munt sent over an inviting cross that no one could get a telling touch on.
The ball wouldn’t sit kindly for Prichard, who scored both Chichester goals last time out in the Trophy loss to Farnham Town, and West danced past two challenges as Lewes attacked once more but the final pass was misplaced.
Rogers denied Bello on the hour and Rustell pulled a shot wide before sub Cameron Andrews blazed an effort over the bar.
Bennetts then cleared after neat stuff from Andrews, and Moore was fouled by Walker who certainly put himself about after coming on at the break.
Bernal’s cross was wasted in the following Rooks’ attack and Bello was caught offside as Chi pressed.
Lewis Rustell, whose superb lob from some way out rounded off the rout in the corresponding 3-0 win at Oaklands last year, replaced Bello on 68 and Morgan whipped over another corner which was gloved away by Magee again.
Bernal earned the visitors a corner that City cleared before Walker headed off target as the game entered the last 15 minutes of normal time.
Things ebbed this way and that with West being adjudged offside again and then Rutherford’s men had a goal chalked off for a marginal offside decision.
Walker almost reduced the deficit but Magee palmed his effort away and the Lewes No9 unsurprisingly picked up a booking for a nasty foul on Prichard.
This would be Prichard’s last involvement as Zach Cahusac replaced him on 86 minutes before Rustell pressurised Rogers, only for the Rooks’ custodian to deal with things and clear.
Mr Ablitt added five additional minutes and Bertie McDonald was introduced for Man of the Match Rowlatt, and Jamie Horncastle came on for Da Costa.
Moore got pulled down by Andrews late on and with practically the last kick of the game Magee gathered Callum Erskine’s cross from the left.
So, Chi have done the double over Lewes for the second-year running and welcome Billericay to Oaklands next on Saturday 18th October (Kick Off 3pm).
Chichester – Magee, Bennetts, Hutchings, Moore, Da Costa, Pashley, Bello, Clarke, Rowlatt, Prichard, Jammeh (Horncastle, Munt, McDonald, Rustell, Cahusac).
