Littlehampton Town kept alive their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Isthmian South Central Division on Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 victory over Hartley Witney.

The Golds have plummeted down the table since a fine 4-1 win at near neighbours Bognor Regis Town on New Years Day and find themselves with destiny not in their own hands.

On a sunny but blustery day at The Sportsfield in front of a crowd of 247, the hosts were out of the blocks quickly and with intent hitting both the crossbar and the post in the first half as the cross field wind helped out neither side.

Whilst there was concern they might rue those chances despite the visitors offering very little, there was drama to follow in first half stoppage time.

A lengthy break after a spectator took a ball to the face behind the Golds end they were defending, ten minutes were added on and Town took full advantage.

They were ahead through an own goal, having had two attempts to score but it was Witney defender Aaron Burchett who put the ball past keeper Nick Jupp for the opening salvo. Town then doubled their lead before the half time whistle sounded, Witney again putting the ball into their own net and this time it was Sam De Croix diverting it home.

The second half saw the home side come under some sustained pressure from the visitors but defended their box well. However, being unable to break out from their own half the visitors did score with a fine curled strike from Conor Lynch on 70 minutes for a lifeline back into the game.

With Littlehampton’s resolve to be tested in the final 20 minutes, they did begin to counter thanks to the pacy outlet of Ryan Yoro-Thomas and fellow substitute Marcel Powell when he arrived into the fray.

And it was the latter who sealed the three points with a perfectly placed header when left unmarked in the penalty area four minutes from time, a deserved win for the Golds with a good performance.

Results around them didn’t go their way however and they remain inside the bottom four with just two games left to play hosting Hayes & Yeading this coming Saturday before heading to relegated Horndean on the final day of the season.