Sussex County League Division One
Lingfield 1 Arundel 3
SUPERB Scott Millar belied his 16 years with another accomplished goalkeeping performance as Lingfield's wretched run continued at Godstone Road on Saturday.
A sixth successive league defeat heralded a nightmare start to 2014 for Dixie Dean's men, who have fallen from grace dramatically this season, but U18s' custodian Millar held his head high again.
With a family at war seemingly disintegrating around him, Millar maintained admirable composure and splendid shot stopping ability again, rewarding boss Dean's faith in him, replacing big gloves in experienced 6ft 10in Rob O'Hara who has been sidelined with a broken hand injury.
This latest undignified defeat highlighted again how Lingfield, who finished a best ever sixth place in the table last term, have lurched into freefall following financial restrictions at the village club.
The same old story started after only seven minutes when Nathan Da Costa's fine run set up striker and captain Scott Tipper who shot home at the near post to break the deadlock.
But the hosts equalised after 23 minutes when Marco Mwanza crossed from the left for youth team leading scorer Sam Clements to continue his remarkable scoring surge this season, firing home unmarked from close range, beating keeper James Fernandez at the far post.
Both struggling sides went in at 1-1 at the interval and the second half looked to be unpredictable, particularly given Lingers' indecisive defending.
Tipper tipped the scales in the visitors' favour again after 48 minutes, rifling home from close range following a left-wing centre which caught Lingfield's overworked defence cold again.
A third goal through Rory Biggs, one of Saturday's three Arundel playing brothers remarkably, after 51 minutes left Lingers' heads down again crucially from which they never recovered, cutting in from the left and firing home inside the far post, leaving Millar helpless.
Lingfield were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty by referee Michael Lowe after 73 minutes when Harry Sintim appeared to be fouled at the far post, but nothing was awarded in Lingers' favour following substitute Nick Davies' cross which had broken to set up the chance for Sintim.
Lingfield: Scott Millar, Harry Cox (Joel Amos 52 mins), Marco Mwanza, Jay Kalama, David Dean, Gareth Graham (capt), Tom Gannon, Harry Sintim, Clinton Moore, Joel O'Hara, Sam Clements (Nick Davies 60 mins). Unused sub: Jack Mooney.
Man of the match: Gareth Graham.
