Ifield fell just short of beating the runaway winners of the Reserve Section Premier Hassocks Reserves in a see-saw 5-3 defeat in the Mid Sussex League CCup final at Haywards Heath.
Ifield took the lead after six minutes with a towering header by Matt Rendell from Aiden Cawte’s corner kick.
Their lead lasted only three minutes as Sam Palmer’s shot rebounded off an upright and Josh Hawkes followed up to level the tie.
Hassocks extended their lead after 17 minutes when Hawkes’ misplaced shot cannoned off Reece Neupert for an own goal. By the half hour mark Hassocks led 3-1 thanks to an excellent goal by Tom Davess who tracked across the edge of the penalty area before rifling his shot into the top corner.
In the second period the Villagers took command first pulling back a goal on 60 minutes.
Cawte sent over another excellent corner kick that Tom Familton met at the far post to score with a reverse header.
Ten minutes later a third headed goal brought the equaliser. This time Familton was the provider and Aaron Smith gave keeper Andy Edwards no chance with a superbly placed header .
Just before the end of normal time Familton saved Ifield by clearing off the line twice from Lawrence Robinson in one attack.
In the first period of extra time the Ifield defence let themselves down for the first time failing to deal with a corner and the ever-dangerous Neil Kane netted with a header from very close range. In a cruel twist of fate Ifield conceded again after 113 minutes. Jack Nourse produced a brilliant shot on the turn that smacked the crossbar and Hassocks broke upfield. Rendell’s challenge was ill-judged and Rowan Wallis drove in the resultant penalty.
Ifield secretary Rob Anderson reckoned the club had achieved a lot in reaching this stage.
He said: “We did well to get to the final for the second year running by beating Burgess Hill Albion 3-1. We played really well in the second half to get from 3-1 to 3-3 and then ran out of steam at the end.”
Ifield still expect be in County League Division 3 next season despite not having the required metal bar and posts around the pitch.
Ifield: O’Donnell; Neupert (Nourse), Shaw, Rendell, Hughes; Smith (Gardiner), Familton, Piller, Dunster (Martin); Richardson, Cawte