Lewes kicked off their league season at the Dripping Pan tonight with a 1-0 win over the Met Police.

A goal from Paul Booth two minutes before half-time saw the hosts pick up their first victory of the season in a close game.

Lewes manager Steve King made two changes to the side which had lost 3-1 at Lowestoft in their opening game of the season, with Malvin Kamara and Paul Booth effectively replacing Hakeem Adelakun and Ian Draycott in the starting line-up. These changes also saw the Rooks switch to a 4-4-2 formation having played a 4-3-3 throughout pre-season and at Lowestoft.

The Rooks nearly took the lead inside the first minute when Wade Small capitalised on a mis-timed header from Tyron Smith, but saw his lob over Jamie Butler in the visitors goal bounce just over the crossbar.

This early opening did not lead to many chances for Lewes in the opening exchanges and, if anything, galvanised Metropolitan Police.

The visitors should really have taken the lead soon after when Steve Williams could only parry a Smith free-kick, only for Orlando Jeffrey to send the rebound over from two yards.

The Rooks felt they should have had a penalty midway through the first half, when Nic Ciardini appeared to be tripped by Elliott Taylor as he tried to take the ball past him. However, the referee waved play on.

Lewes started to enjoy more possession during the final ten minutes of the half, with both Michael Malcolm and Paul Booth seeing far-post headers relatively comfortably saved by Butler.

However, this pressure told two minutes before half-time when the Rooks took the lead. Booth was the scorer, as he sent an acrobatic volley from just inside the penalty area back past Butler after the goalkeeper had come off his line to punch a cross from the impressive Malvin Kamara.

Lewes started the second half impressively, enjoying a lot of possession and spending a lot of time in the Metropolitan Police half.

Despite this, it was the visitors who came close to scoring when Staforde Palmer beat Max Hustwick to a through-ball and appeared to be upended by Williams as the goalkeeper came off his line to narrow the angle. As with the Lewes penalty appeal in the first half though, nothing was given.

Just minutes later, Williams had to be at his best to prevent Palmer from equalising, as the striker deflected a shot from Smith towards the other side of the goal from point-blank range.

The Rooks had another genuine penalty appeal turned down soon after when Ciardini appeared to be tripped in the penalty area again, this time by Steve Sutherland. However, for the third time in the game, the referee turned down an appeal for what appeared to be an obvious penalty.

There was very little goalmouth action after this, with Lewes negotiating the final 20 minutes or so relatively comfortably to secure an important three points and put the defeat at Lowestoft behind them.

This was not a performance which saw the Rooks play the kind of free-flowing, attacking football people normally associate with sides managed by Steve King. However, Lewes held onto their lead relatively comfortably throughout the second half and with the attacking players on show, there is always a feeling that they can create chances, even during a game with little goalmouth action.

Impressive Lewes performances came from Malvin Kamara, Steve Robinson, Nic Ciardini and Paul Booth.

Lewes:

Williams, Kamara, Steve Robinson, Hustwick, Sterling, Malcolm, Somner, Lee, Ciardini, Booth (Cade 87), Small (Draycott 66).
Unused Subs: Adelakun, Pringle, Stuart Robinson.
Booked: Williams, Sterling, Somner.

Metropolitan Police:

Butler, Taylor, Jeffrey, Sutherland, Bourne, Brown, Hughes, Smith, Freeman (Wilson-Denis 76), Palmer, Finn (Lottee 71).
Unused Subs: Page, Gwyther, Di Barnado.
Booked: Smith, Freeman.

Referee: Mr H Lennard

Attendance: 503

Tom Harper