Pagham’s first home game of 2013 ended up as a bit of a stroll in the park as Ken McReadie’s Hailsham Town spent most of the game in their own half. The Lions won 3-1 to keep on edging up the Sussex League division-one table.
With Scott Murfin in prolific form since his return from injury and Howard Neighbour scoring goals for fun, the scene was set for a game full of goalmouth action.
Straight from the start, a Pagham corner was headed just over the bar.
Hailsham did have a free-kick shortly afterwards, with Trevor Macreadie falling under a robust challenge. Up stepped Simon Stevens but his shot was tamely taken, James Binfield easily catching in the Lions’ goal.
The home side pressed on, a free-kick being headed away, and Murfin being betrayed by the slippery pitch as he was in on goal.
Craig Ottley shot over for the visitors while Howard Neighbour’s looping shot almost eluded Benoit Beaujau in Hailsham’s goal.
The game could have turned after 27 minutes when a penalty awarded to Pagham was taken by Neighbour - but his shot was pushed aside. Joe Briggs tested Beajau with a stinging strike and a Lions corner was hacked off the line and the rebounded shot pinged back off the bar.
Max Thoms could have opened the scoring on 32 minutes, Murfin’s approach work creating an opening. Beaujau saved and conceded a corner, with the ball being headed over from the delivery.
Pagham’s dominance of the half saw them score two minutes before the break, Neigbour striking home a sublime shot on the turn.
Briggs became Pagham’s first substitution only three minutes after the break, with Ryan Cox coming on to replace him. Cox immediately made an impact, a searing run into the area almost creating another chance for the rampant Lions.
Hailsham’s keeper was again the hero as Murfin homed in on goal only to see his shot scrambled away.
Just before the hour it was 2-0 Pagham as Murfin’s rocket shot seemed to be over the line before James Ford raced in to bundle the ball into the back of the net.
The Lions continued to dominate, with Beujau often the only line of defence for the visitors.
James Temple almost scored a few minutes after replacing Neil Murfin, almost eluding the onrushing Hailsham keeper. He did score on 74 minutes, rounding Beaujau to kill off any chance of a Hailsham comeback.
The visitors thought otherwise, with an opportunistic looping shot from Macreadie evading a stranded Binfield on 79 minutes. Temple could have made it four with a few minutes to go, his strike taking a deflection as it whizzed across goal..
PAGHAM: Binfield, Buckland, Ford, Pearce, Booker, Bradshaw, Briggs (Cox 48), Thoms, Neighbour (Turney 89), S Murfin, N Murfin (Temple 64). Subs: Geoghegan, Harris.
JON ROSE