Lewes Lions 7
Worthing Youth 3
Written by Charlie Wycherley
Having won the divisional league there was a hastily arranged Cup which due to lack of organisation from the previous hierarchy had to be set up during the school holidays. Two holidays a football camp and a cricket match curtailed four first pick players. Then MichaelWood broke a wrist playing that neanderthal game called Rugby and my William gave a bad impression of Michael Schumacher and was diagnosed with a one year off Crucicth Ligament injury!
And so the semi final, with no adults, against a strong Worthing side was not a good draw, though thankfully at home. We were a little bereft at the back and crippled in midfield but did start brightly. However Lewes then stood back and watched as Worthing passed it round them and opened the scoring. The Cooke twins combined well as Ben opened his hat trick to equalise and then, as all good brothers should, returned the compliment for Alex who found the far corner. Henry Parnell somehow squeezed the ball past the keeper with 10 minutes before half time and all was well with Nick Cornish making great contributions. Then the manager changed the left back and immediately Worthing won a short corner and a weak Lewes run out led to 3-2 just before the break.
In the second half Worthings strongest player waltzed past the Lewes defenders like Anton Du Beke and there wasn’t as much as an “excuse me” as he slipped it past keeper, James Moorey, who then made two good saves and the Worthing right wing missed a sitter. Fortunately Will Wycherley in fact got away with severe swelling and bruising from his accident and managed to come on at right midfield and hit home a short corner via a Ben Cooke deflection, a Worthing header and a post!
4-3 and then Jack Meecher passed to Henry Parnell who roofed a crucial goal and brought gasps from a great crowd. Will Wycherley, Harry Bridgeland and Nick Bacon started to run the Game and Wycherley converted another short corner. The game was won when Ben Cookes hat trick goal was almost cruel to Worthing who were truly only just pipped and Lewes need to improve before next weeks triangular final at East Grinstead next Saturday. James v St Francis at 11.30 and Horsham at 3.30….come and watch!
