There was just the one change to the Chi starting XI that shut out Chatham 2-0 at home last time out. Lloyd Rowlatt came back in for Mo Jammeh who dropped to the bench alongside Olly Munt, Joe Moore and Finlay Chadwick.
Ryan Davidson conceded a corner in the first minute which Lucas Albon delivered and the visitors tried their luck with an early chance before Bowers’ skipper Rohdell Gordon had a go only for Yannis Ambroisine to stray offside.
The away team, who Chichester memorably beat 2-1 in that FA Cup fourth qualifying tie in 2019, won three consecutive throws down the right that Joe Halsey took before the hosts got one of their own.
Wild, Rowlatt and Ethan Prichard combined but the Essex side managed to clear easily enough.
The Chi No9 was flagged offside in the next move and George Scales was adjudged to have hand-balled up against Rob Hutchings in the following attack.
A super Prichard pass sent overlapping full back Davidson scampering down the right wing for another Chichester throw which Isaac Bello launched.
At the other end Alfie Evans forced Chi shot stopper Kieran Magee into his first proper save of the afternoon and Prichard hit a cross/shot on 13 after good work from Joe Clarke and Wild in the build-up.
Prichard pulled a decent save out of Bowers’ custodian David Hughes a couple of minutes later and City centre back Curtis Da Costa cleared when Ambroisine threatened.
Wild was flagged offside once more and holding midfielder Emmett Dunn did well up against the influential TQ Addy who scored the winner in the reverse fixture back in October.
Magee was out effectively to snuff out the danger posed by Scales before Bello broke up the right wing and won Chi a corner which Hutchings whipped over and Hughes collected.
Davidson earned the hosts a corner where a free Dunn was unable to convert in the 27th minute and then Bowers won a free kick for a foul on Evans.
A combination of Dunn and Rowlatt cleared without any trouble before Bello hit one just wide of the post on the half hour mark.
Either Addy or Scales got flagged offside as the visitors tried to break Chichester down and Bello had another go but it was steered out for a corner.
Prichard shot wide for a goal kick and MOM Hutchings was caught unfairly, although the resulting set-piece came to nothing.
Clarke opened things up with a probing run before giving the ball away to Addy but Magee got across to clear.
Bello earned Chi a goal kick under pressure from Johnson and next Hughes denied Wild with a fine stop as the ball almost fell invitingly to Rowlatt.
The Sussex side threatened once more as Prichard aimed a cross towards Wild and his follow up shot went out for a goal kick in the minute of time added on.
Bello won a corner in the first minute of the second half which Hutchings took and Hughes gathered and then the Chi No10 defended well up against Addy.
Hutchings headed safely back to Magee and a lovely Chi move ended in a Prichard shot which Hughes saved.
A couple of Bowers’ moves fizzled out before Hutchings went on a run and a ball from Rowlatt got intercepted.
Wild’s super reverse pass to Prichard set Dunn up for an opportunity which the visitors finally cleared and Magee denied Scales following good stuff from Johnson on 57.
The corner came over and Luke Reeve smashed one into the side-netting.
Prichard went on a decent run on the hour and Wild played an inviting ball in that went out for a goal kick before Hughes was forced into another save.
Johnson cleared the consequent throw and Alex Teniola spurned a golden chance from close range that Magee stopped impressively for a corner.
Hutchings, Prichard and Rowlatt got Chichester going once again but the ball was lost and the Chi skipper did well to intervene as Albon, Gordon and Scales pressed.
A Chi break in the 67th minute involving Hutchings, Prichard and Bello almost got Wild in but the visitors hooked the ball away.
They could do nothing though on 69 as Hutchings found Wild and the league’s top scorer did what he does best and found the back of the net.
Bowers rang the changes and so did Chi as Jammeh and Moore replaced Rowlatt and Clarke to freshen things up.
Jammeh’s first thing was to find Prichard for a shot that nicked off a player kindly for Hughes.
Chichester linked up again and Moore fed the ball into the mix but the Essex team cleared.
Teniola and Halsey were then replaced by Nick Dembele and Quentin Monville.
Ben Pashley picked Prichard with a superb pass who got off a hit before Jammeh was impeded and Chi won a free-kick.
Bowers earned a corner on the College Lane side which Magee, sound all game, collected without any real pressure.
We went into three minutes of time added on as Bello caught Gordon and Hughes’ set-piece was dealt with.
Addy caused a problem but Magee gathered the high ball and at the opposite end Bello almost got on to a Wild pass but Hughes beat him to it.
So, Chi’s sixth win now in a seven-game unbeaten run maintains a spot just outside the play-offs.
Next up is Dulwich Hamlet away on Saturday 25th January (Kick Off 3pm).
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Dunn, Da Costa, Pashley, Rowlatt, Clarke, Wild, Bello, Prichard. (Jammeh, Chadwick, Moore, Munt)
Photos to follow.
