LISS started the day with key members, Billinge, Bamber and captain Stevenson, out for this Hampshire Intermediate Cup match.

Manager Rob Doig began with a talk about attitude, commitment and a measure of how far they had come since the 6-0 league drubbing against Paulsgrove only five weeks earlier.

Doig gave younger members of the squad a chance to prove themselves. Luke Gregory came in for Tom Menaldino on the right of midfield, and Jason Mott came back at left back – giving him a 'full house' of playing every outfield position this season – after Bamber withdrew with a recurring groin injury.

Liss went toe to toe with Paulsgrove from the first whistle, winning most of the battles for first and second ball, and got their reward after six minutes. A series of silly fouls gave Liss a free-kick 25 yards out. It was hit hard and low, skidding off the wet surface, and the Paulsgrove keeper could only push the ball out, and Ali Badcock fired home from 12 yards.

The rest of the first half was very even, although Paulsgrove forced a brilliant one-handed save from Adam Cork who was otherwise a spectator. Craig Harris and Richard Stokes won all the ball in the air.

Doig had to withdraw Matt Northcott after 30 minutes with a calf injury, which meant a reshuffle with Menaldino resuming his position on the right of midfield and Gregory moving up front with Andy Neal.

Liss played into driving wind and rain in the second half and the ball was holding up, giving Liss more of a chance to catch up with play. Paulsgrove stepped up their game and Badcock and Ryan Walsh worked really hard in the centre of midfield to restrict them to half chances.

Craig Harris, who really stood up to be counted, was immense winning everything else that Paulsgrove threw at the Liss defence. Grant Humphries and Josh Garvey came on for Ben McQuillan and Alex Cawley, and worked really hard to shore up the defence and give fresh outlets for Liss.

The final 10 minutes was frantic, until the Liss defence won the ball and played it out to Badcock having his best game of the season, on the right. He beat one player and made the space for a 35-yard cross for Neal to head in unopposed to make it 2-0 after 84 minutes. Paulsgrove to their credit kept going to the final whistle, but were just going through the motions.

Doig said: "This is a real measure of how far we have come in the last five weeks, turning a 6-0 deficit into a 2-0 positive result." He added: "I need to thank all the guys for their hard work and effort, and through adversity – and injury – I need to mention Mott and Harris who are not defenders by choice but were both absolutely fantastic in our defence today."

Liss: Cork, McQuillan, Stokes, Harris, Mott, Gregory, Badcock, Walsh, Cawley, Neal, Northcott; subs: Menaldino, Garvey, Humphries.