Defeat to Selsey leaves Arundel rock bottom

Mullets assistant manager Craig Stuart admitted it is going to be a tough season, but is confident they have the players to stay up.

He said: “It was disappointing, again we were poor defensively and we are low on confidence, which is a big thing.

“We need to learn to defend better, we are okay going forwards, but conceding goals is costing us.

“There is a long, hard slog ahead and we are in for a big, big fight, but we have the players here to do it.

“It’s not going to change overnight and as long as we stay up this season, then we can try to push on.”

Having gone 1-0 behind, Gary Norgate pulled a goal back for Mullets when he nodded home a free kick to level things in the 36th minute.

But the visitors restored their lead just a minute later and made the game safe with a third five minutes into the second half. Stuart added: “Their third was a decent goal, but the other two were poor from mine and Brett’s point of view.”

Mullets have now taken just one point from their last five league games, and although Stuart had hoped Saturday’s 6-1 Sussex RUR Cup third round win over Seaford (report on page 105) would provide a springboard for his side in the league, it failed to launch them on Tuesday.

With former basement side Chichester beating Sidley for just their second win of the season on Saturday, they moved two points above Mullets, and a 1-1 draw with runaway leaders Pagham on Tuesday suggests Chichester may have found some form.

It leaves Arundel four points adrift of safety, although with games in hand – two over second-from-bottom Shoreham and four over fourth-from-bottom St Francis Rangers, but they have played the same as Chichester, who are the other side in the bottom three.

Mullets host Crowborough on Saturday.

ARUNDEL: Fernandes; Grove, D.Walker, L.Walker, Hunter; Hardwell, Williamson, R.Biggs, Hamilton; Tipper, Norgate. Subs: Keet, Peake (Grove, Hamilton 65), Gettings, Turney, Gardener.