Chichester player-coach Joe Laidlaw's stint as a stand-in keeper last Saturday at Burgess Hill brought back memories for the well-travelled former professional.

The 51-year-old came off the bench to replace the injured Jason Johnson in goal in front of a crowd of 180 at Leylands Park, and stirred up thoughts of the time when he had to pull on the gloves when he was a professional.

Laidlaw said: "I used to love playing in goal in practice when I was a pro.

"I actually had to play in goal once when I was a professional with Portsmouth at Stockport when Peter Mellor got injured. So, therefore, I have had 60 minutes in goal in League football."

That match in the 1979-80 season was under different circumstances with a crowd of 14,942 packed into Edgeley Park Laidlaw, more at home as a professional with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Carlisle, Hereford and Doncaster as an all-action midfielder, may not have had a crowd of thousands watching him at Leylands Park as he did when called upon for Pompey but it was still a chilling prospect.

He said: "Unfortunately we didn't have anyone on the bench who could play in goal. They were both outfield players so I took over.

"It was nerve-wracking out there especially until I had had a few touches. You don't want to make a mistake and let the ball in the net. That is what gets to you more than anything else."

There was little Laidlaw could do about the goals as his side eventually slipped to a 3-1 defeat in a game which saw Chi's Toby Champion and Simon Barnard sent off.

Lee Isaac curled in the first, Ashley Carr scored the second from the spot and the third was a header by Dave Stevens in time added on for stoppages.

It was still a disappointing result for Laidlaw and his side.

He said: "It's so frustrating and it ruins the day. We worked ever so hard for each other and to come away with nothing is hard to take. But we have to lift ourselves up again."

Ringmer manager Glen Geard has not ruled out having to pull his boots back on this season.

Geard said: "I have such a small squad that if we have a backlog of fixtures, and the reserves are playing on the same day, I may have to put my boots on and get out there myself. I wouldn't relish doing it though as I have had my day and I want to give others their chance."

Geard has had to consider the prospect with Max Hamilton still a month away from fitness and Wes Lopez possibly out for another three weeks. Spencer Mears, however, is back after serving a week's suspension.