Worthing remain firm favourites to retain the Davies and Tate Trophy for the Sussex Inter-Club Matchplay championship.

But the form of West Sussex so far suggests they are emerging as the team to watch.

When Worthing finally resolved their delayed first round tie by eliminating Ham Manor 11-1, West Sussex entered the third round in style beating Royal Eastbourne 10-2 at Pulborough.

With the weather and waterlogged courses playing havoc with the championship programme, West Sussex can now look forward to a visit to either Crowborough Beacon or Goodwood.

Worthing, on the other hand, must next play East Brighton, whom they beat in last year's final, before knowing if they visit Willingdon or Wellshurst in the third round.

When Worthing and Ham Manor were due to decide their opener three weeks ago, the arrival of fog at Worthing prevented Eric Reekie's team building further on a 3-1 foursomes lead.

In the resumed meeting, when both teams started from scratch, Worthing won all the foursomes thus requiring only 2, points for the match. Joe Doherty and Scott Nightingale, fresh from reaching the quarter-finals of the Sunningdale Foursomes, kicked off with a win and then each won out in the country by 6 and 5 over Martin Yeates and Kevin Ruffle respectively.

Ham Manor's only winner was Aaron Linkhorn, who kept sinking long putts to keep Kevin Bashford at bay. Dormy three down, Bashford birdied the 16th and 17th only to lose one down on the last.

West Sussex rested Gary Scarfield, the county captain, and were also without Julian McCree, who kept order at a kiddies' birthday party. In came youngsters Paul Turrell and Matthew Scaife and they won their foursomes against Barry Illsley and Roger Myall by 6 and 5. Seven of the singles went West Sussex's way.

The exception was James Harper, a new member of Royal Eastbourne, who inflicted a 6 and 4 defeat on David Alders, the 1988 Sussex champion.

When the match finished, Harper was four under. This was also the case when Jamie Donaldson, the West Sussex No.1, polished off Matt Hepburn.

With Seaford Head closed because of the foot-and-mouth crisis, they forfeited home advantage to Seaford and switched up the road to East Blatchington. While the Head has a strong side this year they went out 7-5, a new experience for Paul Jones, the England Boys' International who played for Seaford in last year's Plate final.

Malcolm Hoad returned to the Seaford team after illness and there was nothing to chose between the sides after the halved foursomes. During the morning, the Head pairing of David and Paul Hills excelled against Nigel Benson and Paul Lardner, winning by 4 and 3 over Seaford's most experienced duo.

The scoreline was reversed in the second match by Hoad and Gary Walker against Jones and Martin Landless, the Head team captain. The third match was 3 and 1 victory for the Head pair Ian Goddard and Angus Chisholm over Ian Keith and David Smith. Events were evened by the dependable pairing of Jeff Smith and Matt Parkinson, a 17-year-old in his D and T debut season. They had a 4 and 2 margin over Richard Wood and Paul Markham.

Selection for the singles order saw mind games come into play. Seaford team manager Andy Wells anticipated Jones being played at No.1 and therefore selected Hoad in that role.

But the Head chose to play Jones in the third match, which paired him against Smith. Jones, three up after 12, was hauled back to level by the 16th tee. As the drama mounted, Smith held his lead until the 18th tee and both players found the front of the green in two.

Smith, first away, lagged to within inches and a given par. This left Jones with a 30-footer up the steep slope to the upper tier and down went his birdie putt for a halved game.

Meanwhile, Hoad competed a 3 and 2 win over Markham after being two down. This was augmented by a 6 and 5 victory for Parkinson over David Hills. Having secured 3, points from the top four matches, Seaford still needed one win for a clear result and this was duly delivered by Keith by 4 and 3 over Chisholm.

West Hove proved too strong for a weakened Waterhall who had four late withdrawals. With a 4-0 foursome lead, West Hove won seven of the singles to chalk up an 11-1 passage to the third round.

Steve Nielsen and Tim Marshallsay won their foursomes by 9 and 7, and only missed winning every hole played when Waterhall's Barry Hillsdon chipped in for a birdie and a half. Of the 11 holes played, the West Hove pair were two under. Simon Wheatland saved a whitewash and Waterhall's blushes by winning his singles one up against Raoul Ellis.

At Eastbourne Downs there was no holding The Dyke who won all the foursomes. Then Dave Travis beat Mark Wootten 5 and 4 in the top singles followed by Graham Hewitt's 4 and 3 defeat of Rob Pearson.

Ben James hit back with a one-up win over Andrew Wood but when Bernard Yates, winner by 4 and 3 over Craig Manser, and Les Newman rode home by 6 and 5 over Kieran Riedy, the visitors were home and dry by 9,-2,.

Another easy path to the next round was trod at Mannings Heath where Sweetwoods Park were on the receiving end of a 10,-1, drubbing.

The Horsham club were strengthened by scratchman Neil Conley, a former Mannings junior, returning to his old stamping ground from Chartham Park.