Burgess Hill Town suffered a 4-2 Boxing Day loss as Lancing left the HomeCall Carpets Community Stadium with all three points in front of an excellent festive crowd of 627. 

Hillians felt visiting defender Sam Bull should have been booked in the opening minutes as Dan Perry was clean through on goal only for Bull to trip him. The referee gave the free kick but kept his card in his pocket. From the resulting free kick Marcus Allen headed over from Darren Budd’s delivery.

The Lancers, who featured several ex-Hillians in their side, took the lead as one of those ex-players scored on 17 minutes. Charlie Pitcher burst through on the left from Charlie Bennett’s flicked header and placed his effort past Luke Glover and into the Hillians net.

On 33 minutes it was 2-0 as Lucas Franzen-Jones, another to play for the Hillians in the past, scored. Pitcher’s shot on the edge of the box was deflected into the path for Franzen-Jones to score from close range.

It could have been three as a defensive mistake saw the ball lost and with Glover out of position George Taggart struck wide from 30 yards with the goal open. The Hill were dealt another blow as skipper Marcus Allen had to go off through injury with Harry Lawson coming on as manager Gary Mansell was forced to shuffle the pack.

The Hillians had a good chance on 42 minutes as Reggie Ward did well and cut in from the left and shoot but Louis Rogers made an excellent save. Rogers then denied Perry as Alex Brewer pulled it back for Perry but again Rogers saved.

The visitors extended their lead with a third ex-Hillian getting on the scoresheet as Bennett smashed the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Hill had a great chance to pull a goal back before half time as Rogers was booked for handling outside the area and from the resulting free kick Perry hit the post and it then bounced off Kieran Rowe from close range and over the bar. Ward had another effort as he hit the side netting after again cutting in from the left. 

Hillians made a half time sub with Martyn Box returning from injury and coming on and the Hillians started brightly having a few early chances. Ward saw a cross hit the top of the bar and go over, Budd chipped the ball through to Perry who struck his effort into Rogers’ arms after being quickly closed down and then Budd curled an effort onto the bar from the edge of the box.

Hillians were rewarded for their good start to the second half as from a corner the ball was scrambled about and Perry was alert to react quickest to score and give the Hillians hope.

Rowe had an effort pushed away by Rogers and at the other end Harry Mills making his first start for the Hillians since joining on a short term work experience from Brighton & Hove Albion denied Lancing a fourth as he cleared off the line from Franzen-Jones.

The visitors did add a fourth as a long ball was flicked on and into the path of sub Harry Heath and he shot past Glover.

Hillians were given a lifeline as Lawson’s cross from the right was adjudged to have been handled just inside the box but Rogers made a good save to deny Perry from the spot kick.

Defender Jack Taylor made it 4-2 as he burst forward from the halfway line going past three players and smashing a low shot into the bottom corner with four minutes remaining but the Lancers saw the game out to go home with all three points.