If Worthing are to retain the Davies and Tate Trophy they must do it the hard way and team manager Eric Reekie wouldn't settle for anything less.

But when the quarter-final draw sent his eight selections to West Sussex on May 12 he said: "We will take on anyone although I must say I would have preferred a home tie."

The incentive for West Sussex is to turn the tables on the Sussex Inter-Club Matchplay knockout champions who dumped them 8-4 in last year's semi-final at Ham Manor.

West Sussex manager Roy Froud heaved a sigh of relief on seeing his side get a home draw.

He said: "We didn't want Worthing away and are well pleased to be playing at Pulborough."

The Dyke took in their stride a fourth away tie. This time they head for Royal Ashdown Forest while Lewes hop across to Pyecombe and Mid Sussex deposit their calling card at West Hove.

Worthing reached the last eight of the Trophy with a 7.5-4.5 win at Willingdon while, in the other third round matches, countbacks were necessary to send both West Sussex and Pyecombe through.

At Willingdon, all the Worthing players contributed to the points total on a testing day with high winds. The foursomes saw Worthing trailing in three matches and the thoughts of Reekie revealed his concern when he said: "If we can turn a match around and halve the foursomes we can come through in the singles."

Reekie's expectations were justified as the battling performances of his players turned the tide, although the top pairing of Joe Doherty and Scott Nightingale lost 3 and 1 to Dave Warrington and Robert Hampson.

Two of the matches were saved and won on the 18th green, while Andrew Moseley and Robert Bright had it all their own way when defeating Charles Goodall and Dave Pooley 5 and 4.

The two close call victories saw Kevin Bashford and Nick Tull end the challenge of Robert Williams and Graham Carn, while Scott Williams and Arwel Roberts held their nerve against James Gietzen and Jay Penfold.

The singles became a formality and with Doherty, Nightingale, Moseley and Tull, who came in for the unavailable Peter Drew, all winning.

The Dyke's big guns were perfectly calibrated at Cooden Beach where a 10-2 hammering put paid to the hopes of the Bexhill club. A 4-0 foursomes lead left the visitors with an easy task and only Jeff Reed and David Snashall came up with Cooden wins in the singles.

This was a formidable display by The Dyke who are not beyond improving on their 1999 performance when reaching the final only to lose to East Brighton. In Dave Travis, Graham Hewitt and Bernard Yates they have doughty performers and Michael Mudie has added to an already strong line-up.

Only 16, Mudie was making his Davies and Tate debut and the form already displayed in county events marks him as a bright future prospect.

Peacehaven's tricky nine holes were not a sufficient threat to Lewes whose 9,-2, win owed much to a clean sweep in the foursomes. Maximum points from the first three singles sent Lewes on their merry way, thanks to Lawrie Tremlett, Jack Budgen and Henry Hilton.

The only Peacehaven singles winners were Martin Smith, who overturned Steve Verth 2 and 1, and Clive King, the former Sussex champion, who knew too much for Tom Hilton. The margin was 6 and 5.

Keeping up the King family tradition, Wesley kept Andy Gale's victory down to one hole while Lee Parris prised a half from sticky Dave Cosham.

West Sussex's 28-21 countback win at Goodwood was every bit as close as the score suggests. Level in the foursomes, team manager Roy Froud was delighted when Dave Alderson came in early with a 7 and 5 victory and shortly after Myles Averns chalked up a 6 and 4 success.

Sandwiched in between was Ian Ritchie winning 2 and 1 and Martin Slumbers handed the team a 5 and 4 bonus.

Davies and Tate Trophy: Fourth round (May 12): Royal Ashdown Forest v The Dyke, Pyecombe v Lewes, West Hove v Mid Sussex, West Sussex v Worthing.