Men's football news
A disappointing performance saw Lewes fall to a 1-0 defeat against a well-organised Leatherhead side at the Pan, reports Tom Harper.
The Rooks started the game brightly and could have gone ahead inside the first two minutes, as Peter Gregory chested a Dayshonne Golding cross against the near post at the end of an incisive passing move.
An almost identical move nearly gave Lewes the lead barely a minute later, with the ball eventually falling to Stefan Ilic, who saw his goal-bound effort blocked by a covering defender.
It was therefore completely against the run of play when Leatherhead took the lead after just four minutes through Simon Mensah, who was allowed to carry the ball to the edge of the area before finding the bottom corner.
Lewes initially responded well to this set-back and saw Gregory test Zaki Oualah at his near post with a clever flick-on from a Leon Redwood cross.
The rest of the first half passed with very little incident, as Leatherhead were content to let Lewes have the ball before winning it back and trying to cause problems on the break. The Rooks lost Alex Malins in the 36th minute after an accidental clash of heads which ultimately saw him require stitchess.
The closest the Rooks came to equalising before the break saw Oualah make a comfortable save to keep out a long-range effort from Ilic.
The second half followed a similar pattern to most of the first, with very little goalmouth action and Leatherhead holding on to their lead relatively comfortably.
The visitors were also looking the more dangerous side going forward, as Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke had to be alert to parry an effort from Mensah, before Charlie Hester-Cook was just unable to pick out substitute Zachary Robinson for a tap-in at the far post minutes later.
Lewes were finding it difficult to create any chances of note, with another comfortable Oualah save from Ilic being the closest they came to equalising heading into the final ten minutes.
The Rooks caused Leatherhead a few more problems in the closing stages, as Gregory was played in down the right but there was no-one in the middle to convert his excellent cut-back.
Lewes continued to push for an equaliser and very nearly found one deep into stoppage-time, as Golding was put through on goal, but shot just wide of the far post from a difficult angle.
This was the final meaningful action of the game, and the Rooks were left to reflect on a disappointing result that brings to an end an encouraging recent run.
Highlights from the game can be viewed here, whilst the prodcast can be viewed here.
Lewes will hope to put this result behind them when they host Sevenoaks Town in the Velocity Trophy on Wednesday, kick-off at 7.45pm.
Lewes: Stroomberg-Clarke, Day, Redwood, Dome-Bemwin, Chappell, Malins (Dawson 37), Golding, Diedrick-Roberts (Yeboah 72), Gregory, Onovwigun (Medlock 56), Ilic.
Unused Subs: Reed, Popham.
Booked: Redwood, Chappell, Onovwigun
Leatherhead: Oualah, Driver (Seager 85), Lema, Mensah, Salmon, Nnamani, Gregory, Hester-Cook, Wood, Olutade (Robinson 56), Ikebuasi.
Unused Subs: Tennent, Figuerido-Correia, Dawkins.
Booked: Olutade, Hester-Cook
Referee: George Warren
Attendance: 524