Men's football news
Walton Casuals 1 Lewes 2
Two
first-half goals from Jamie Brotherton helped Lewes to an impressive win at
fourth-placed Walton Casuals, writes Tom Harper.
Darren
Freeman made one change to the side that beat Cray Wanderers in their
previous game, with Alex Malins replacing Frankie Chappell in the starting
line-up. Freeman also included new signing Billy Medlock on the bench, with the
striker having returned for a second spell at the Pan during the week.
The Rooks
got off to the worst possible start by falling behind inside the first minute,
as Luke Holness finished at the near post from close-range after good play down
the right by Jack Battie to give the hosts an early lead.
Walton
Causals were impressing with their slick passing, and always looked capable of
causing the Lewes defence problems with the pace and power of Josh Kelly up
front.
Lewes
gradually grew into the game as the half progressed though, with Ronnie Conlon
and Jamie Brotherton forcing smart saves from Denzel Gerrar in the host’s goal.
The Rooks thought
they had equalised just before the half-hour, as Brotherton volleyed home a
Conlon cross from close range. Unfortunately for the impressive contingent of
travelling fans, the linesman raised his flag to disallow the goal for offside.
Lewes
continued to create most of the opportunities, with Brotherton seeing a
powerful effort from just inside the area pushed round the far post by Gerrar.
From the
resulting corner taken by Gus Sow, Gerrar was forced into an even better save
to keep out a diving header from Lloyd Cotton before the ball was eventually
scrambled clear.
The Rooks
continued to press and scored a deserved equaliser after 36 minutes, as
Brotherton sent a close-range volley past Gerrar and in off the underside of
the bar after Bouwe Bosma had headed a cross from the right back across goal.
Lewes
completed the turnaround in the final minute of the half, as Conlon was tripped
by Sam Labinjo in the area as he looked to latch onto a Brotherton
through-ball.
Brotherton
drilled the penalty into the bottom corner to score his fourth spot-kick of the
season, and give the Rooks the lead just before half-time.
Lewes
started the second half in the same way they had finished the first, with
Gerrar saving bravely at the feet of Gus Sow after a Steve Brinkhurst cross
from the right had caused confusion in the hosts’ defence, before Conlon sent
his effort on the rebound over the bar.
After this
bright start to the half, Lewes seemed to find it difficult to keep the ball
and were inadvertently inviting pressure from Walton Casuals as the hosts
looked to find a route back into the game.
A succession
of bookings followed for the Rooks as the half progressed, but they were
restricting the hosts to long-range efforts and looking dangerous on the
counter themselves thanks to the pace of Medlock up front.
Unsurprisingly,
Walton Casuals began to turn their possession into clear-cut opportunities in
the closing stages, with Chris Winterton forced into a superb save to keep out
a Joe Hicks header from an Isaac Sarpong corner.
The hosts
went close again minutes later, as Harry Mills sent a curling free-kick from
just outside the area over the wall and just wide with Winterton beaten.
Their best
chance came with just five minutes remaining, as Holness got in behind the
Lewes defence, but saw his effort pushed round the post by Winterton.
The Rooks
saw out the final few minutes more comfortably, and were able to celebrate an
impressive away win at the final whistle.
Lewes will
hope to build on this result when they host top-of-the-table Whyteleafe at the
Pan on Wednesday, kick-off at 7.45pm.
Walton Casuals: Gerrar, Labinjo, Mills, Sarpong,
Hustwick, Hicks, Battie (Abukar 55), Coleman, Kelly, Holness, McCormack (Cox
55)
Unused Subs: Taylor, Baldwin, Trigwell
Booked: Sarpong
Lewes: Winterton, Brinkhurst, George,
Hammond, Cotton, Malins, Bosma (Landais 65), Sow, Brotherton (Medlock 48),
Conlon, Coppola.
Unused Subs: Chappell, Reed, MacDevitt
Booked: Hammond, Bosma, Sow, Conlon, Medlock
Referee: Bhupinder Gil
Attendance: 211