Lavant 3 Petworth 1

Lavant continued their undefeated Division One record by beating Petworth at “The Jungle”.

The homeside started with all guns blazing and were ahead within 5 minutes when Mike Bartley fed Stuart Loversidge who put the Division’s top scorer, Ryan Seacombe through to fire home.

When Airy Wadey’s goal kick was intercepted by Loversidge, the Lavant striker punished the error with a thunderbolt shot on 12 minutes.

Wadey saved Bartley’s penalty kick on 25 minutes after Seacombe was upended.

Though Paul Jefford hit the crossbar for the visitors, Lavant deserved their 3-0 half-time lead, when Seacombe fed Loversidge who teed up James Brooks to score on 42 minutes.

The homeside were instructed to close up shop in the second half, which they did and despite Rob Torode’s late 87 minute goal for Petworth, the game never seemed in doubt.

Next Saturday, Lavant entertain second in the league Holbrook at home at “The Jungle”. The game that could well decide the Division One Title.

Lavant: N.Sanson, C.Coe, J.Wright, B.Purgavie, M.Lyttle, M.Neville, J.Brooks, M.Stevens, M.Bartley, R.Seacombe, S.Loversidge.  Subs: D.Knight, R.Gabb.

Lets Celebrate the Win

Photo’s of Saturdays Reserves match against Fittleworth clearly shows the joy of finally getting that long awaited deserved win.

Goal scorers Dan Mortimer and Nathan Richards lead the celebrations.

Dan Mortimer celebrates with the team after scoring Lavant’s first goal 

Another team celebration after Nathan Richards scores Lavant’s second goal

Saturdays League Results

Division ONE
Southwater 2 Barnham Reserves 3
Newtown Villa Reserves 2 Holbrook 5
Hunston CC Reserves 3 Yapton 1
Cowfold Reserves 1 Lavant 3
Barns Green 3 Petworth 1
Faygate 1 East Dean 1

Division TWO SOUTH
Lavant Reserves 4 Fittlworth 1
Barnham 3rd’s 3 Selsey A 3
Stedham Utd 3 Predators 3

Cowfold Reserves 1 Lavant 3

Cowfold Manager, Paul Curtis. Described his team’s performance as the best of the season so far. His 4-5-1 formation made for a compact defence but Lavant got off to a good start when Matt Stevens put the division’s leading goalscorer, Ryan Seacombe, through to lob ‘keeper, Matt Beck, and give the league leaders a 1-0 lead after only 9 minutes.

In a game of few chances, the homeside applied the most pressure for the rest of the first half and were awarded a free-kick in the 35 minute. Lavant cleared the ball but Michael Nash drove the rebound into the bottom corner with Neil Sanson, Lavant’s goalie, unsighted.

Assistant Manager, Dave Kent, demanded a higher tempo and work rate which the visitors supplied after the interval. But, still, the breakthrough did not come until Manager, David Parker, made a substitution and restored two strikers up front instead of the lone Seacombe.

The effect was immediate. The new substitute, Stuart Loversidge, set Seacombe up for the winner in the 71^st minute. Cowfold then came out of their defensive shell and threw everything at the visitors, but Lavant defended resolutely and from a counter-attack, Dave Knight put Seacombe through to complete his hat-trick 2 minutes from time.

Lavant: N.Sanson, C.Coe, J.Wright, B.Purgavie, M.Lyttle, M.Neville, J.Brooks, M.Stevens, M.Bartley, R.Seacombe, S.Loversidge.  Subs: D.Knight, L.Weller.

Lavant attack the Fittleworth goal with Matin Ayers winning the aerial battle

Lavant Reserves 4 Fittleworth 1

Saturday, Lavant Reserves recorded only their second win of the season to the delight of Manager Mel Milburn.

Both teams battled out a goaless first half, before Lavant fired up from Mel Milburn’s inspirational half time team talk, saw the Reserves eventually go on to win the match four-one.

Even more significant a result as Lavant had to battle back from going one-nil down almost imediately after the restart. Dan Mortimer levelled the score before Lavant took the lead through Nathan Richards.

Goal scorer Dan Mortimer

Fittleworth still battled on but the match was put eventually put out of the visitor’s reach as Richard Gabb added a killer third goal for Lavant. Finally young Harry Wade make it four-one late on, wrapping up a great win for the Reserves.

Neil Latham on the ball

This was a result that was coming and everyones hard work in the Reserves had finally paid dividends.  For eveyone at the club, the first team winning Saturday was good news, but the Reserves winning and winning convincingly  against a side that was third in the league until after today’s result was a great victory and something to build on going into the next fixture against Predators in two weeks time.

Man of the match Matt Grace crossing the ball into the Fittleworth box

Has the fightback started?  The Reserves are now off the bottom of the league and are only seven points behind third placed Boxgrove, who we have to still play at home (Raughmere Park is not a welcoming place to visit) and there are five league games remaining.

Dare we start dreaming and setting goals of achieving the Great Escape.

Crunching tackle by Dave Maclean

Lavant: G.Seacombe, M.Grace, G.Ockwell, N.Richards, M.Hine, N.Latham, H.Reeves, M.Ayers R.Gabb, D.Mortimer, R.Pinder. Subs H.Wade, D.Maclean, G.Pinder.

Hopefully most players and villagers would have noticed in recent weeks that as you go past the entrance to Raughmere Park (Top Pitch) just behind the main gate is a new bright yellow security barrier.  This is part of measures that we hope will deter travellers in the future from occupying the pitch and surrounding land. It has been paid for using remaining funds donated by generous villagers and supporters of the football club in relation to the damaged caused by the travellers earlier in the summer.

A big thank-you from everyone associated with the club.

We would also like

On behalf of Lavant Football Club we would like to wish all the officials, players, sponsors, supporters and villagers of Lavant a great Christmas and a very prosperous New Year. 

Thank You

We would like to take this opportunity to also say a big Thank You to our sponsors who again this season have kindly backed the village football club.

They include the Giles and Ruth landlords of The Earl of March, Alan & Sue Smith, John & Jan Squires, Richard & Sheila Sims, The Lavant Fete Committee and Lavant Parish Council.

Their continued support has ensured that the village can field a number of football teams playing in local leagues each week.

We have now finished for the Chirstmas break and as a result of where Christmas and New Years Day falls this year there are no more fixtures now until 2012.

The Saturday league kicks off again on the 7th January (fixtures still to be announced) and then starts a very inportant run-in to the end of the season.

Training:
Starts back on the 4th January at Chichester College on the All Weather Pitch.

Dave Parker has already warned the first team squad not to rest on their laurels over Christmas, putting on the pounds and then expecting to return in the New Year fit for action. Enjoy the break but Keep Yourself Fit.

As a precaution Dave weighed each player before the Southwater game on Saturday and has slapped a £2 per pound increase fine for them when they return on the 4th Janaury.

Seriously though this season so far has be fantastic bearing in mind where we were at the start of the campaign.  One person who is so made up by all the efforts of the players is Dave Parker. Significantly in January he is about to start his final year at Lavant as the village Rector retiring in September 2012.

We do hope he is not retiring as our manager though and it would be fitting tribute if the club could carry the great 1st team results of the past four months and battle every game for the rest of the season to ensure we win the league title.

To achieve this we have to be raring to go from the 4th January.

On another note we should also mention the valiant efforts to date of the Reserve Team and in particular managers Cliff and Mel.  At the end of last season we wrote to the league expressing not to get promoted to Division Two South after finishing 3rd in Division Three. We had a good season but felt we were a team in transition and not quite ready for Div 2. The league ignorred our request and as we have thought this season has been a real battle.

Of the fifteen games the Reserves have played this season to date in league and cup fixtures they have only managed to win one game and draw another. Of the other thirteen thirteen games they have lost nine by just one goal.

That is the really frustrating thing for Cliff and Mel and the players.

Credit to them all as they have and will continue to battle on until the final league game and it is a real test of spirit and determination that shows when results are not going the teams way, that everyone is battling on.

In Janaury they have 6 games remaining and will be determined to end their unlucky run.

Also the Reserves have 100% supported the first team as usual and ensured Dave Parker has first call on any players at the club. This has ensured the first team squad has remained strong.

Lavant FC Night Out – Karaoke and a few beers around Chi

Dont forget to put in the diary ‘Beer with the lads’ on Saturday the 7th Janaury starting at the East Gate Pub.  Please contact either James Brooks , Jon Wright, Mel or Matt Steven’s just to let them know your available.  Thanks.

Up the Lavant

Southwater 0 Lavant 5

Lavant ended the first half of the season and entered the Christmas break undefeated and 6 points clear at the top of Division One, thanks to this win at Pevensey Road.

The homeside’s main danger was from left-winger, Ryan Thomas, and the diagonal runs up front from Toby Lovett.  Lavant manager, David Parker, dealt with this by doubling up on Thomas with winger, Mike Neville, and fullback Chris Coe to nullify the threat.

After that it was one way traffic. Stuart Loversidge came close twice before a great build up on the left released Ryan Seacombe whose shot hit the post and rebounded into the path of Man of the Match, Mike Neville who finished in the 5^thminute.

Seacombe set up Mike Bartley at the near post for Lavant’s second half an hour later.  Then, Bartley returned the compliment for Seacombe to net the third just before the break.

James Brooks was put through with only Southwater’s ‘keeper, Alex Harding to beat and the Lavant midfielder finished clinically 2 minutes after the restart.

Neville forced a smart save from Harding 8 minutes later and Seacombe got his second and Lavant’s 5^th goal, pouncing on a loose ball in a goalmouth scramble from Neville’s corner in the 76^th minute.

Lavant: N.Sanson, C.Coe, J.Wright, B.Pergavie, M.Lyttle, M.Neville, J.Brooks, M.Stevens, M.Bartley, R.Seacombe, S.Loversidge.  Subs: D.Knight, S.Cole.

Lavant Reserves 0 Selsey A 1

Lavant: G.Pinder, M.Grace, G.Ockwell, N.Richards, N.Latham, J.Green, R.Gabb, M.Ayers, S.Massey, D.Mortimer, S.Walder. Subs: M.Milburn, H.Reeves, G.Bell

Saturdays League Results

Division ONE
Barnham Reserves vs Newtown Villa Reserves
Holbrook 11 Hunston CC Reserves 1
Southwater 0 Lavant 5

Division TWO SOUTH
Boxgrove 1 Predators 3
Lavant Reserves 0 Selsey A 1
Wittering 3 Lodsworth 0

Lavant 2 Yapton 1

Lavant were back to winning ways as they entertained in form Yapton.

Manager,David Parker’s game plan was to absorb Yapton pressure in the first half and switch to passing and attacking football in the second period.

This is effectively how the match panned out. Apart from Ross Ludlow hitting the Lavant net but being ruled offside, the first half ended goalless but with Yapton having the better of the exchanges.

After the interval, Lavant applied the pressure with a more fluid passing game, but it was the visitors who went ahead against the run of play in the 56^th minute, when a delightful interchange between Dean Bennett, Karl Westbrook and Ludlow ended with Ludlow’s impressive finish.

The scorer’s triumph did not last long when at the other end his attempt to defend Mike Neville’s corner-kick ended with him heading into his own net on 72minutes.

Lavant had deserved their equaliser, however it came, and they won the game when Mike Bartley headed the clincher 5 minutess from time.

Lavant: N.Sanson, C.Coe, J.Wright, B.Purgavie, M.Hine, L.Weller, J.Brooks, M.Stevens, M.Bartley, R.Seacombe, D.Knight.  Subs: M.Neville, S.Cole.

Boxgrove 3 Lavant Reserves 2

Lavant: R.Bayliss, M.Grace, H.Reeves, N.Richards, N.Latham, J.Green, G.Pinder, R.Gabb, S.Massey, D.Mortimer, S.Walder. Subs: G.Bell, H.Wade.

Lavant 2 Barns Green 2

Lavant dropped two valuable points in their poorest performance of the season.

The homeside started well with good football in possession, though defensively, they failed to pressurise the ball as well as in previous games. Nevertheless, all boded well when Dave Knight set up midfielder, James Brooks, to open the scoring for the Chichester side after 12 minutes.

Striker, Ryan Seacombe set up Mike Bartley to double Lavant’s lead on 38 mins. But as team concentration lapsed, when Matt Lyttle lost the ball in midfield, Jack Pesteridue’s deep cross from the right found Sam Liley on the left who controlled and finished well to put the visitors back in the game on the stroke of half-time.

In the second period, apart from two great saves by’keeper, Jason Dumbrill, from Seacombe and Bartley, all the pressure came from Barnes Green. It looked as if the homeside were going to grind out a win but in the last seconds of normal time, defender and captain, Jon Bacon, came up for a visitors’ long throw in and fired home the equaliser.

Lavant manager, David Parker, commented:” When at the top, every game is a cup final. We didn’t play well today but Barnes Green deserved their draw with a fine battling performance in the second half.”

Lavant: N.Sanson, C.Coe, J.Wright, B.Purgavie, M.Lyttle, L.Weller, J.Brooks, M.Stevens, M.Bartley, R.Seacombe, D.Knight.  Subs: M.Neville, S.Loversidge.

Barnham 3rds 5 Lavant Reserves 2

Lavant: R.Bayliss, M.Grace, M.Ayers, G.Ockwell, N.Latham, D.Maclean, G.Pinder, R.Gabb, S.Massey, D.Mortimer, M.Price. Subs: H.Reeves, G.Bell, M.Fegus.

Saturdays League Results

Division ONE
Lavant 2 Barns Green 2
Barnham 7 Hunston 1
Holbrook 1 Southwater 0
Petworth 0 Faygate 0
Yapton 7 Newtown Villa Reserves 1

Division TWO SOUTH
Lodsworth 2 Predators 2
Boxgrove 0 Fernhurst 0
Barnham 3rds 5 Lavant 2

Barnham Reserves 1 Lavant 4

Lavant started with all pistons firing in this game and dominated it with flowing football for the first quarter hour.

Ryan Seacombe gave them a dream start 4 minutes in, hammering home a rebound from Lou Weller’s corner.

Only a fine save from ‘keeper, Gary Wimbledon, prevented Seacombe doubling the lead one minute later.

Mike Bartley headed close from Weller’s deep cross before the homeside made any reply when Jamie Timlick fired over under pressure from Chris Coe.

Lavant tried to force a second goal when control of the ball would have served them better. Consequently, the hard battling Barnham deserved their inevitable equaliser when Harry Abraham scored in 29^th minute.

The turning point came during this Barnham spell when Neil Sanson pulled off two quality saves. The first in 37^th minute from Brad Nixon’s penalty kick and two minutes later when Abraham broke through.

The visitors then reasserted themselves and went in at half-time with a 3-1 lead thanks to a 42^nd minute goal by Seacombe and a Jon Wright free kick.

Scorer of Lavant’s third goal Jon Wright

The second half witnessed an all out assault by the homeside with Sanson again impressive in goal.  The league leaders struck again through substitute, Mike Neville, as he finished a delightful move in 76^th minute to put the game beyond dispute and collect 3 points.

Lavant: N.Sanson, C.Coe, J.Wright, B.Pergavie, M.Lyttle, L.Weller, J.Brooks, M.Stevens, M.Bartley, R.Seacombe, D.Knight.  Subs: M.Neville.

Lavant Reserves 1 Wittering Utd 5

Lavant: H.Wade, C.Seacombe, M.Ayers, S.Wiggins, M.Grace, R.Gabb, S.Massey, D.Mortimer, S.Walder, M.Fegus, R.Pinder. Subs: N.Richards, M.Milburn.

Saturdays League Results

Division ONE
Holbrook 1 East Dean 1
Faygate Utd 2 Barns Green 1
Cowfold Reserves 1 Southwater 3
Barnham Reserves 1 Lavant 4
Newtown Villa Reserves 1 Petworth 0

Division TWO SOUTH
Predators 3 Fittleworth 1
Lavant Reserves 1 Wittering Utd 5
Fernhurst 1 Stedham 0
Selsey FC ‘A’ 5 Lodsworth 2