SMILING COX GOES FOR A BURTON

FRESH SIGNING Adam Burton rattled in three of the five goals his new Lancing team grabbed in their first two matches with the ex-Southwick striker on board. He scored twice on his Lancers debut in a 6-2 League Cup home hammering by Hassocks '” his first an overhead kick '” but then on Saturday clinched only their second league victory of the season when they defeated winless Peacehaven 3-1 at Culver Road.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Oct 2004, 13:45 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 01:00 BST

Burton, 20, rejoined his former Saltdean boss Mark Cox, now in charge at Lancing, after a frustrating period on the Old Barn Way bench. And in his hunger, he struck a pairing up front with Tom Cina, whose third goal this season began the scoring against Peacehaven in the 52nd minute.

Cox declared: "Adam knows where the goal is. When he got our third against Peacehaven it was a great relief and a feeling we hadn't known yet this season. Now I'm hoping to pick from a full squad this Saturday at Crawley Down.

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"Peacehaven have lost a lot of players and are mainly last season's Reserves. But we said that we simply could not afford to lose against them. Anything better than a defeat would be a bonus. It wasn't a great game and when Mark Dixon hit the bar twice in the first half for us and Paul Ettridge had two good chances, I started wondering where our next win was coming from. But Peacehaven, unlike either sides, did not punish us until we'd gone 3-0 up and taken our foot off it."

"Hassocks, though lively, were a poor team. We looked in control, the better side, and sound at the back. Yet after we'd equalised in the first half, we collapsed after they went 3-1 up with two goals in five minutes."

Lancing were slow to react when Pat Harding (25min) put Hassocks ahead after a long shot hit the bar. Burton equalised (30) but Harding struck twice (56, 67) with Richard Thomas making it 3-1 (61).

Harding's fourth (76) and sub Ian Dawson (78) made it 6-1 before Burton's defiant late second (90).

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Wesley Lopez, restored to his wide-left spot, crossed for the first and third goals against Peacehaven. Cina tapped in the first (52min), then came off when Cox sent on Keith Mtambara to hold up possession. Mtambara two minutes later made it 2-0 (59) and Burton's fine swivelling volley from back to goal, into the far corner (72), put it beyond Peacehaven's reach.

Aaron Blackwell (90) was the late scorer when Lancing slackly allowed them a consolation.

LANCING v Hassocks: Aylward; Dray, Miller, Reilly, Ettridge; Henry, McDonald, Crush, Lopez; Cina, Burton. Subs: Mtambara (Cina 62), Thompson (Miller 75), Rhodie (Reilly 80), Dixon, Manthorpe gk. Att: 81.

LANCING v Peacehaven: Everett; Dixon, Miller, Court, Ettridge; Henry, McDonald, Crush, Lopez; Cina, Burton. Subs: Mtamabara (Cina 57), Rhodie (McDonald 78), Washington (Burton 86), Reilly, Aylward gk.

Att: 65.

Related topics:PeacehavenLancing