EVEN beaten Ringmer boss Bob Munnery helped fund the celebrations after Pagham went back to the top of the first division.

Munney contributed £20 to the Pagham players’ Christmas party after his side had lost 2-0 at Nyetimber Lane.

Following a goalless first half Michael Frangou put the Lions ahead after Lewis Hamilton’s shot had been spilled and the pair combined again for the clincher when Frangou’s pass sent Hamilton speeding away from his marker before an emphatic finish.

Pagham boss Gary Block said: “They are nice people and it was a great gesture by Bob to give us something towards our party.

“I’m really pleased to be top at Christmas. Ringmer edged the first half but I gave the boys some stick at half-time and got a good reaction from them. We hit the bar and had another shot cleared off the line so I think we deserved to win.”

Three Bridges could have joined Pagham on 34 points but they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Arundel.

It was a decent point in the end for Bridges who had Carl Dunk sent off for two bookable offences in the first half.

Jack McNab put them in front but Arundel looked to have snatched it when midfielder Richard Groves scored twice with a header and volley from 25 yards.

The visitors squandered further chances to make the game safe and were made to pay when Marlon Maxwell headed a superb equaliser in the sixth minute of injury time.

Arundel boss Richard Towers said: “They are going well so we knew it was going to be tough but I thought we had done enough. Mike Huckett, Garry Norgate and Micky Walker could all have got a third goal for us but if you don’t take your chances you are going to be punished.”

Just three points separate the top five after Horsham YMCA moved into fifth after Tom Lawley’s first-half penalty secured a 1-0 win against Selsey.

Lawley had seen an earlier spot-kick saved by Steve Phillips after Matt Geard was brought down but he made no mistake when a defender handled on the line and was sent off.

YM boss Chris White said: “We didn’t play that well and on their second-half performance Selsey probably deserved something but you can’t ask for more than three points and a clean sheet.”

Another side who fancy their chances of making a title push in the second half of the season are Shoreham, who won 3-1 at Whitehawk.

Young midfielder Dean Smith epitomised a tigerish display by the Musselmen who won it thanks to two penalties from Jamie Grove and a superb 40-yard chip by Darren Annis which sailed over the head of stranded keeper Ross Standen.

Shoreham co-boss Mark Burt said: “We have games in hand and if we win them and keep working hard we won’t be far away.”

Hassocks continue to improve and they produced some excellent finishing in a 4-0 home win over Chichester, the pick of the goals an over-the-shoulder volley from Jamie Buckett which flew into the top corner.

Headers from Laurence Robinson and Matt Amos and Anthony Hibbert’s emphatic finish saw off an unfortunate Chi side who themselves struck the woodwork three times.

Hassocks’ boss Dave John said: “We have got most of our players back now and we’re looking pretty strong. Chichester weren’t bad but we played well and scored some quality goals.”

A late penalty from Miles Scerri earned Wick a hard-working 2-1 verdict at Oakwood whose defeat leaves the bottom of the table almost as tight as the top with five points separating five clubs.

The bottom two, Worthing United and East Preston, shared four goals with Matt Russell’s penalty earning United a point after youngster George Gaskin had struck twice to cancel out Gavin Geddes's opener.

Midfielder Michael Belli scored his fifth goal of the season but East Grinstead were held to a 1-1 draw by St Francis while Hailsham’s home tussle with Lingfield ended goalless.

In the RUR Cup, Eastbourne United thrashed Redhill 6-0 to reach the semi-finals after scoring three goals in the first ten minutes.