This game was in the balance as a deluge of rain started in the early hours and continued through the day. Manager Mike Melville-Reed was eager to play this as for the first time since the beginning of the season he was able to field a strong team. Jonny Cassell was made captain for the day and Mike Morrison, Matt Vitty and Godfrey Muneri returned to the team. The conditions made it hard for either team to initially gain any dominance and although CCK were enjoying the lions share of Possession it was Hove who created the two best chances each crashing against the CCK woodwork one with a fine curling shot from the left side edge of the area. As the game went on it the midfield pairing of Sewell and Morrision started to dominate and captain Cassell broke down much of the opposition play through the middle of the park, keeper Muzzall was becoming largely a spectator as anything that came through the middle was cleared by the impressive trio of Walke Spence and Fortescue, Luke Reed and Mike Spence were beginning to revel in their wing back roles making it difficult for the opposition full backs to get forward. The longer the game went on the more threatening Vitty and Muneri looked, On around twenty minutes CCK scored a fine opening goal aJohnny Cassel cross was met ny Mike Preston and his looping header sailed over the keeper. CCK then were denied a second as Luke Reed was the victim of a two footed challenge but a quick series of passes between Cassel Sewell and Morrision saw the ball fed through to Matt Vitty who was one on one with the keeper-the referee blew for a foul and to everyone’s amazement gave a free kick to Hove . CCK went in deserved leaders at half time and in the second half pushed forward again and were rewarded as the ball was fed into the area Matt Vitty met it with an instinctive drive to fire past the despairing keeper and soon after it was three as Mike Morrison ran towards the box and drove home from the edge of the area- Royal Hove did keep trying to push forward but were met by solid back three and when they did breach this Keeper Muzzall made a top clss save to turn the ball over the bar and turn another effort around the post-The game almost finished with a fitting finale as skipper Cassell capped a man of the match performance with a three yard tap in as Hove were pressed by Vity sub Carvel Sewell and Morrision,
Manager Mike Melville-Reed said after “ I was so proud of the lads today top class performances from keeper through to striker –we have been under a bit of pressure from our expectant Facebook fans but I always said we would start winning if I got anything like my first 11 out”
Skipper Cassel joked “Made captain an assist and man of the match maybe it’s a good day to retire!!!”
