Lavant leave Pirates walking cup plank

Send your team’s match reports and team pictures to [email protected]

Nyetimber Pirates 1 Lavant 2

Sussex Intermediate Cup

Lavant travelled to high-flying division-one side Nyetimber Pirates in the Intermediate Cup and came through a match played in windy conditions on a wet pitch.

The visitors started the brighter, staying compact and nullifying the space of the Pirates’ extra man in midfield. Early chances fell to Dan Baker, who forced a smart stop from the Pirates keeper. James Sandford and Aaron Hancock also had chances but neither was able to convert.

The Lavant back four dropped deeper and the Pirates’ extra man in the middle helped them gain a foothold. Lavant managed to see the half out but a change in attitude was required.

Lavant started the second half as they did the first, the back four holding a much better position while the home teamtried to use the wind to their advantage by sending long balls over the top which generally ran through to keeper Neil Sanson.

Fifteen minutes into the half, the Pirates took the lead as a free-kick was defended well but failure to pick up the second ball saw the unsighted Sanson beaten at his near post.

The Lavant response was positive and good link-up play found substitute Mike Neville on the inside left. He drove into the box only to be fouled for a penalty. Skipper Sandford stepped up only for the keeper to save low to his right.

Undeterred, Lavant continued to hunt for an equaliser and it came from the move of the game, Hancock driving down the right and easily beating his man and then laying in Haggar to cheekily flick home to make it 1-1.

Lavant’s winner came 15 minutes from time, a great through-ball from Dave Knight allowed Oli Haggar to smartly round the keeper and slot in.

The Pirates threw what they could at Lavant but they stood resolute.

LAVANT: Sanson, Gabb, Wright, Purgavie, Lyttle, Hancock, Batten, Knight, Haggar, Baker, Sandford. Subs: Neville, Maclean.

Chapel 2 West Chiltington Res 2

Westy Chilts started the stronger as they fought to control the ball in the wind and went ahead on the half-hour when Matt Foster headed an awkward cross into his own goal.

Both sides had chances to score before half-time and Tom Townsend made a fine save from a one-on-one to keep Chapel in the game.

Chapel were brighter after the interval and deserved Ben Mariner’s equaliser on 57 minutes. Then Billy Bicknell showed persistence to drive on into the box and put Chapel ahead.

The visitors rallied an and only a fine stop from Townsend high to his left kept them out with 15 minutes to go, but he could do nothing with the equaliser a few minutes later.

West Chiltington thought they had got the winner with five minutes left, only to be denied by the offside flag.