Petworth 1 Newtown Villa 3
WSFL Centenary Cup third round

Petworth matched last season's premier-division champions – and arguably the best team in the West Sussex League – for 89 minutes.

Despite creating the better chances in the second half, they were unfortunate to concede two very late goals, and ended up with nothing to show for their efforts.

Newtown are an excellent passing side and Petworth sat back in the first half, relying on the occasional counter-attack.

This tactic worked well and Newtown were limited to long-range efforts which were comfortably dealt with by Alex Wadey in the Petworth goal.

But five minutes before the break, a speculative cross from the left hit central defender Rob Torode on his outstretched arm.

Despite it not looking intentional, the referee awarded a penalty which was converted to give Newtown a half-time lead.

Petworth were fired up for the second half and suddenly looked the better side.

Jamie Hawkins was twice denied by excellent saves by the keeper, who got his hand to a lob when Hawkins looked certain to score, then made a miraculous recovery as Hawkins fired the rebound goalwards.

Richie Robinson headed over from three yards when presented with a free header at the far post.

Finally Petworth got the reward their play deserved when a cross from Martin Dillon was smashed home by top scorer Rob Levett.

The game was on a knife-edge, and Petworth continued to create chances and defend impressively with Chris Lock and Torode outstanding. Wadey made several crucial saves in a faultless performance.

But just as the game seemed to be heading towards extra-time, disaster struck.

Robinson was injured in an accidental clash of heads on the edge of the area.

Instead of going down to get treatment he held his head in his hands and play continued and the Newtown left winger was allowed time and space to measure his cross which was headed home by Jonas Tempelman.

Petworth poured forward in a last-ditch effort to continue their cup run, and they won a corner with just seconds remaining.

But it was poorly delivered and easily cleared to the sole Newtown attacker, who sprinted down the wing and rolled the ball into an empty net with Wadey stranded having gone up for the corner.

Despite the final score, Petworth can take heart from this performance as it proved they can mix it with the big guns in the premier division.

Petworth: Wadey 8, Robinson 7, Lock 9, Torode 8, Clark 6, Hawkins 6, Ford 7, Pafford 7, Dillon 7, Levett 8, Duke 7 (Cocks 6, 75). Subs unused. Murray, Cox.

Lavant Reserves 1 Liss Reserves 3
Division four south

Lavant hosted bottom-of-the-league Liss reserves in the first of three crucial league games in January.

With the visitors' first-team game called off, Liss fielded a strong side which hardly resembled the team Lavant had played at Liss five weeks earlier.

Liss immediately pressurised Lavant and for the first ten minutes, the hosts had to work hard to ward off the visitors.

Lavant started to come back into it, pushing up at every opportunity, and Jon Strange almost opened the scoring, against the run of play, but his lofted shot bounced off the bar.

Lavant keeper Paul Czajka pulled off a great save to deny the visitors the lead, and with the back four of Simon Blackman, Robbie Pinder, Stuart Eastwood and Jon Strange maintaining their shape, they made it hard for Liss to make any inroads.

But on 21 minutes, Dave Morris failed to prevent Ben McGuillan's header from a corner, and it bounced of the knee of Christian Swain standing on the near post and flew into the top corner, ensuring the visitors went into half-time with a 1-0 lead.

Lavant started the second half in determined fashion and Liss were forced to work hard to defend their lead.

But with 60 minutes gone, the home side were dealt a harsh blow as referee Ray Baxter awarded Liss a controversial penalty after judging Jason Houghton to have handled the ball in the box. Ryan Gordon coolly dispatched the spot kick.

Lavant pulled a goal back two minutes later. Swain's corner was palmed on to the bar and over for a second corner by the Liss keeper.

The next was whipped in again by Swain and met by the incoming Dave Knight, who headed into the top left-hand corner of the goal.

With 30 minutes left, Lavant sensed they could get something out of the game and they pushed up in an effort to draw level.

Ten minutes later, however, with Lavant striker Alex Waters off receiving treatment for cramp, Liss were able take advantage of ten-man Lavant as they counter-attacked and Danny Barlett rounded the keeper and scored.

Chris Bowles almost reduced the deficit again ten minutes later as he latched on to Knight's pass and rifled a shot in from outside the box which was tipped over.

Lavant deserved something, but now need to repeat this hard-wroking performance against Stedham Reserves this weekend.

LAVANT RES: Czajka, Blackman, Eastwood, Pinder, Strange, Morris, Houghton, Swain, Knight, Bowles, Waters. Subs: Pinder, Strange, Yaxley.