Men's football news
Written by: Joe
Craig Nelson says seeing the celebrations among Lewes fans at the full-time whistle at Bognor was just reward for a gritty performance on Tuesday night, and hopes to make it three wins on the bounce when Hashtag arrive at the Pan this weekend.
The Rooks backed up last Saturday’s 2-0 triumph over Chatham with a hard-fought 1-0 win at Bognor in midweek.
Eddie Allsopp grabbed the late winner at Nyewood Lane, while Toby Bull had another excellent night between the sticks.
And Pitts insists there’s even more to come from his side as they prepare for Saturday’s 3pm kick off.
“The boys were happy we got the job done,” he said. “We’ve shown over the last two games that we’re hard to break down, demonstrating a lot of grit and determination to get over the line.
“A great finish by Eddie late on, but the boys wouldn’t shy away from saying that they expect better from themselves, and we will continue to hold our high standards. There’s lots of room for improvement going forward, but ultimately we’re really happy.”
‘We can keep this up’
Two wins on the bounce to kick off the new season means Lewes sit second in the Isthmian Premier League. It’s been a rapid start for a managerial set-up and playing squad that are still learning from each other. And the boss isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Our start has been fantastic,” he said. “If you’d said to me six weeks ago you’d play Chatham and Bognor and get six points, I’d have taken your arm off for it.
“We’ve shown lots of moments of good connections between the players, whilst being defensively solid. We need to keep energy levels high. We can’t do anything about the performances in the previous games, so now we can look forward to training and making sure we get it right on Saturday.
“As long as the boys continue to show the dedication and commitment to what we’re trying to achieve here, that they’ve been showing me already, then we can keep this up.”
Hashtag beat Canvey 2-1 on Tuesday to record their first victory of the season, following a 2-0 home defeat to Cray Wanderers at the weekend. The Rooks earned a 3-1 win at the Pan when these sides met in September last year and Pitts expects the home support to again give the Rooks the edge.
“When any team comes to the Pan, we’ve got to make it a place they don’t want to be,” he said. “As long as we show what we’ve shown in the last couple games, and our defensive structures good, we can see that we will get moments in the game to put the ball in the net.
“We will prepare the team right and expect three points, but we also know its about the hard work that we’re going to put into the game to make sure we deserve the win. It’ll be a tough game, I don’t think there are any easy games in this league, but at the Pan with the fans behind us, we need to give our all.”
Meet fans in the bar!
Indeed, with just two league games and a handful of pre-season friendlies under his belt, Pitts is beginning to understand why Lewes has such a vocal fanbase.
Reflecting on his time so far, he said: “The fans were amazing on Tuesday. To be so loud throughout the whole of the game in their numbers, along with getting the goal late on, was absolute scenes, and to enjoy it with them after the game was even better.
“Saturday’s home game against Chatham, too, was fantastic, you could really feel the energy in the Pan, and it drives us forward. Long may it continue!
“We’d like to see a few more of them in the bar after the game, for them to get to know the staff and players better too.”
Will you be at the match on Saturday? Lewes FC vs Hashtag United kicks off at 3pm at the Dripping Pan, with discounted tickets if you buy online.
And remember to bring a reusable plastic cup to save on your beers at the Rook Inn and out other stalls!