Lavant bounce back at Petworth ... reserves are too strong for Tangmere

Petworth applied most of the early pressure in the West Sussex League division-one clash with John Parford and Rob Levett being the main architects.

Chichester crept into the game and produced several chances before going ahead through Darren Cox on 19 minutes, as he converted after a fine build-up.

Cox came close to doubling the lead two minutes later, before Lavant keeper Ash Rochester, saved brilliantly at the feet of Levett six minutes from half-time.

After the restarted the homeside again took the game to Lavant in an endeavour to level the score and when Levett was brought down just outside the area, the visitors’ wall did its job blocking the Petworth striker’s free kick.

Lavant were counter-attacking with delightful football and Ryan Seacombe came close again on 61 minutes and Cowell hit the bar eight minutes later.

Eventually the Chichester side went further ahead when Seacombe converted from the penalty spot after he was upended in the box with 20 minutes left.

Petworth’s Dan Warren stabbed home from two yards after a goalmouth scramble from a free kick just four minutes later to get them back into the game.

Petworth’s keeper Ian Fumacali pulled of a great save to deny Cox in the closing stages as Lavant saw the game out.

Lavant manager David Parker commented: “It was important to bounce back after last week’s defeat. I always felt we were in control of the game with a refound discipline”.

LAVANT: Rochester, Green, Coe, Wright, Cowell, Knight, Brooks, Stevens, Loversidge, Seacombe, Cox. Subs: Watts, Cairns.

Tangmere 1 Lavant Reserves 3

West Sussex League division three south

This game proved to be was a very edgy derby for Lavant playing local-rivals Tangmere, who in previous encounters seemed to have the knack of scoring late on to grab the points.

Lavant got off to a great start taking an early lead with only five minutes on the clock, as Rhys Watling was taken down in the box by a rash tackle, and Ross Lines dispatched the resulting penalty.

The home side were quick on the counterattack and created their second goal on 20 minutes. Watling broke into the box, beating a couple of defenders before unselfishly squaring the ball to his strike partner Lines for simplest goals to give them a 2-0 lead at half-time.

True to the warnings and what they had threatened before the break, Tangmere on 55 minutes, managed to pull a goal back after a goalmouth scramble from a free kick.

At this stage it was Tangmere who looked most likely to draw level, so sensing this three substitutions, that of Robbie Pinder, Matt Carver and Joe Green changed the game

Green sealed the game in the closing stages as he finished at the second attempt from Daryl Hall cross to seal the points.

Manager Cliff Massey said after the game “This was a close match. Tangmere don’t give you any time on the ball, putting pressure on you very quickly. That’s why we opted for fresh legs and this worked as we then exerted pressure back onto Tangmere which culminated in a great winning goal from young Joe Green”.

Lavant: S.Watling, D.Hall, D.Morris, M.Ayers, B.Evans, L.Weller, S.Massey, D.Maclean, L.Cook-Jones, R.Watling, R.Lines. Subs: R.Pinder, M.Carver, J.Green.