Men's football news
An
impressive team performance saw Lewes record an emphatic victory over Ashford
United at the Pan to move six points clear at the top of the Bostik South
table reports Tom Harper.
Darren
Freeman made two changes to the side that drew at Greenwich Borough in their
previous league game last Saturday, with Jamie Brotherton and Jonte Smith
replacing Bouwe Bosma and Gus Sow in the starting line-up.
The Rooks
made a bright start to the game and were ahead after just four minutes, as
Billy Medlock teed up Jamie Brotherton to send a low effort from the edge of
the area in off the inside of the post at the end of an impressive passing move
in midfield.
Lewes saw
plenty of the ball for much of the remainder of the half, with Brotherton and
Charlie Coppola causing the visiting defence plenty of problems out wide.
They should
have doubled their lead within minutes of going ahead, but saw Ronnie Conlon
denied by Aaron Lee-Wharton in the Ashford goal after latching onto a Coppola
through-ball.
The Rooks
were looking particularly dangerous from set-pieces, with centre-back Frankie
Chappell coming close to scoring his first goal for the club twice in quick
succession, seeing a close-range effort from a Coppola corner deflected onto
the post, before missing the target from point-blank range after Lee-Wharton
had only been able to parry a Lloyd Cotton header minutes later.
Lewes were
given a good chance to make their first-half dominance count four minutes
before the break, as Brotherton was fouled in the area by James Fitchett at the
end of another purposeful run down the left.
Brotherton
found the bottom corner with his spot-kick to double the Rook’s lead and give
them more of a cushion heading into half-time.
However,
there was still time for both Jonte Smith and Coppola to go close in the final
minutes of the half as Lewes looked to go further ahead before the break.
The visitors
saw more of the ball during the early stages of the second half, and the previously
untroubled Chris Winterton had to be alert to push a cross-shot from Brandon
Williams round the post.
Lewes
continued to look dangerous whenever they went forward though, and went 3-0 up
just after the hour through Smith, who headed into the empty net at the far
post after Lee-Wharton had misjudged a James Hammond cross from the right.
Lee-Wharton
redeemed himself by denying Brotherton his hat-trick minutes later with a smart
save.
The visitors
were handed a route back into the game with just over 20 minutes remaining, as
Ira Jackson dispossessed Cotton down the right-hand side and crossed for Andrew
Dalhouse to finish from close range.
Lewes
regained their three-goal lead after 73 minutes through Hammond, who sent a
superb 25-yard free-kick round the wall and into the bottom corner to all but
secure the three points.
Both Medlock
and Coppola came close to scoring during the closing stages as the Rooks looked
to cap off a dominant performance with another goal.
They did
just that in the final minute, as substitute George Landais finished from close
range after Lee-Wharton had been unable to hold a Medlock effort from the edge
of the area.
Lewes will
hope to build on this performance when they travel to Carshalton Athletic on
Monday, kick-off at 7.45pm.
Lewes: Winterton, Brinkhurst, George,
Hammond, Chappell, Cotton, Brotherton (McCarthy 84), Smith (Landais 75),
Medlock, Conlon (Barclay 78), Coppola.
Unused Subs: Reed, Hurley.
Booked: None.
Ashford United: Lee-Wharton, Toure, Cooney, Fitchett,
Bingham, Richefond (Osei 78), Watters, Williams (Walker 68), Dalhouse, Gordon
(Woodcock 85), Jackson.
Unused Subs: Akinkwade, Day.
Booked: Gordon, Jackson.
Referee: Robert Ablitt
Attendance: 561