AFTER 127 years and more than 2,000 games, it was not supposed to end like this for Chichester City.

Their final match of a long and sometimes glorious history saw them lose a three-goal lead, suffer taunts from their followers and see their longest-serving player, Dave Kelly, shown the red card after the final whistle for dissent.

No wonder the locals hope next season's merger between the two clubs, plus a £500,000 redevelopment of Oaklands Park, can revive the city's flagging football fortunes.

Goalkeeper Adie Girdler will take charge of the new Chichester City United and this weekend hung up his gloves at the age of 40 in preparation for what could be a demanding job.

Portfield still have two Unijet Sussex League games to play but it's all over for City. Their tally of matches spans three centuries but the same cannot be said of their 874 wins, the last of which came in December last year.

Secretary John Hutter was in his usual place behind the goal yesterday hoping for a glorious finale. He said: "We've looked at what has been done at other clubs, such as Langney Sports. The people of Chichester will turn out and support if there's a good team and good facilities."

The new Oaklands Park will boast cover on all sides and 500 seats, which is good news for fans like 70-year-old Harry Andrew, who witnessed this final derby from his favourite spot on the terracing.

Harry played on the wing for Chi half a century ago and has been a supporter since hanging up his boots. He admitted: "The facilities are better now. We used to play at Priory Park and there was cold water and not much else.

"But otherwise it has deteriorated. There's not the atmosphere now and it's inevitable we've got to merge because there are too many teams in this area."

Harry and his mates enjoyed yesterday's first half, in which Darren Hewitt and Mark Tryon fired in superb free-kicks before Hewitt added a cool finish to make it 3-0 by the break.

Portfield, for all their failings, boast talented ball players in Dean Blake, John Oliver, Shane Davies and Ashley Edwards, all of whom came through the ranks at pro clubs.

They dominated the second half, with Blake, Edwards and Kevin Chambers dragging them level before Steve Poulton atoned for two awful misses by converting an 87th-minute penalty.

Portfield chairman Terry Rustell, who had earlier puffed on a cigarette and bemoaned "a very sad day all round", was smiling by the time the outstanding Edwards struck again at the death.

That final nail in the coffin was cheered by Chi's fed-up followers, who marked their club's final moments with calls of : "Load of rubbish, Chichester."

It seems the brave new era cannot come quickly enough.

MATT Russell hit six goals for Horsham YMCA, then heard his boss joke: "I should have substituted him."

Russell took his tally to 49 in the 7-2 demolition of depleted East Preston.

But boss John Suter quipped: "He missed an open goal and got booked and I thought 'get him off'."

Eastbourne Town's draw with Langney means they are the only side in division one not to have lost to the champions this season.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.