Men's football news
Written by: Stuart
Lewes were forced to settle for a point with a 2-2 draw at Haringey Borough, despite taking the lead twice in North London, reports Tom Harper
Lewes made one change to the side that beat Leatherhead in their previous game, with Deshane Dalling replacing the injured Rhys Murrell-Williamson in the starting line-up.
Lewes started brightly and could have taken the lead early on through Juevan Spencer, who saw an effort saved by Alfie Marigliani in the Haringey goal after finding himself in space in the area.
The game was end-to-end for long periods of the half, with Joe Taylor seeing a close-range strike saved by Marigliani and then sending a cross just ahead of Deshane Dalling at the far post for Lewes.
The hosts then saw Andre Odeku draw a fine save from Lewis Carey, and Charne Lemba shoot over the bar after the ball dropped to him in space.
The Rooks took the lead on 40 minutes through Ollie Tanner, who showed quick feet in the area before blasting the ball past Marigliani and into the roof of the net.
Marigliani then had to be alert just before the break to help a Tanner free-kick behind for a corner.
Lewes thought they had doubled their lead immediately after half-time as a Taylor Maloney corner floated into the net, but referee Alan Cresswell disallowed the goal for a foul on Marigliani.
The hosts made the most of this let-off by equalising on 56 minutes, the unmarked Scott Mitchell heading a Michael O’Donoghue free-kick past Carey from close range.
Lewes regained the lead in slightly fortunate circumstances nine minutes later as Mitchell went from hero to villain for the home side, beating Taylor to a Maloney through-ball but only succeeding in sliding the ball past Marigliani and into the bottom corner of his own goal.
Lewes nearly doubled their lead immediately, with Tom Carlse seeing his cross from the left deflected just wide of his own goal by Samuel Cook.
Haringey had carried a threat going forward throughout the game though, and this remained the case, with Carey saving smartly to deny Odeku at the end of an incisive passing move down the right.
Lewes launched a swift counter-attack following this save, but saw Dalling shoot just wide of the far post after cutting in from the right.
Haringey equalised for a second time six minutes from time, as Samuel Owusu turned in an O’Donoghue cross from close range at the far post.
Both sides pushed for a win in the closing stages but were unable to create a chance of note, with a Michael Klass challenge deep into injury-time that led to an altercation involving most players from both sides being the final meaningful action of the game.
Lewes welcome Bishop’s Stortford to the Pan next Saturday, kick-off at 3pm.
Haringey Borough: Marigliani, Olufemi, O’Donoghue, Cook, Mitchell, Lemba, Owusu, Aresti, Morgan (McDonald 80), Georgiou (Odeku 14) (Spearing 90), Bessadi.
Unused Subs: Zamani, Kpemu.
Booked: Owusu, Aresti, Morgan, McDonald.
Lewes: Carey, Spencer, Carlse, Salmon, Pettit, Klass, Maloney (McLeod 90), Pritchard, Dalling, Tanner (Yao 78), Taylor.
Unused Subs: Hall, Nelson.
Booked: Klass
Referee: Alan Cresswell
Attendance: 534