Men's football news
Written by: Jack
Lewes booked their place in the Fenix Trophy semi-finals with an impressive 4-0 win over KSK Beveren at the Pan.
Tony Russell made a number of changes to the side that won 3-1 at Horsham in their previous game, with Jack Leahy handed his first start for the club and Luke Dreher also starting on his return from injury.
The Rooks made a bright start and came close to taking an early lead when Sam Oguntayo saw his cross from the left helped onto the top of the bar and over by Beveren goalkeeper Ruben Smet.
Lewes weren’t to be denied for much longer though, and went in front on four minutes, as a corner from the right led to a goal-mouth scramble before the loose ball was eventually poked over the line by Tommy Wood, just in front of Arthur Penney.
The Rooks remained on the front foot as the half progressed, Ola Ogunwamide prodding a Marcus Sablier cross just wide at the far post, before Sablier saw his strike from the edge of the area saved by Smet.
Beveren were showing some nice touches when they got on the ball and nearly scored an equaliser with their first meaningful attempt of the game, an incisive counter-attack ending with Nathan Harvey being called into action to deny Jim Van Osselaer after good play down the left by Jan Cockheijt.
Lewes regained control of the game towards the end of the half, with Wood just unable to apply the finishing touch to a superb Leahy cross from the left.
The Rooks remained on the front foot at the start of the second half, as both Ogunwamide and Kieran Murtagh drew smart saves from Smet within minutes of the restart.
Penney was the next player to go close, heading against the inside of the post after Smet had been unable to claim a Sablier corner.
Sablier was involved again minutes later, playing a superb through-ball into the path of Ronnie Vint, who shot just wide.
Lewes finally scored the second goal their pressure had been threatening on 58 minutes, as Ogunwamide sent a powerful strike through a crowd of players and into the bottom corner after Beveren had been unable to clear a corner.
The Rooks were managing the game comfortably at this stage, moving the ball quickly to try and create space and add to their lead.
They made it 3-0 on 78 minutes, as Smet was beaten to a clipped ball forward by a defender and with the goalkeeper out of position, the loose ball dropped to the impressive Sablier, who controlled it well before firing into the empty net from the edge of the area.
Smet was injured in this passage of play and replaced in goal by Mauro De Vylder, who was called into action almost immediately to save bravely at the feet of Ayo Olukoga.
Lewes completed the scoring on a superb night at the Pan with six minutes remaining, substitute Ryan Gondoh running onto a through-ball and cutting inside a covering defender before slotting the ball into the bottom corner to make it 4-0.
This was another brilliant occasion at the Pan following FC Oslo’s visit in November, with Beveren, backed by their superb travelling supporters, more than playing their part in an entertaining game.
Lewes will hope to take this positivity back into the league on Saturday when they welcome Canvey Island to the Pan, kick-off at 3pm.
Lewes: Harvey, Olukoga, Vint, Penney, Oguntayo, Murtagh, Dreher (Elliott 46), Sablier, Ogunwamide, Leahy (Gondoh 75), Wood.
Unused Subs: Ming, Pritchard, Lumbombo-Kalala.
Booked: Leahy.
KSK Beveren: R. Smet (De Vylder 79), De Pauw, Van Lockeren, Van Roeyen, Van Osselaer (Dhooge 65), Da Silva (N. Smet 45), Schelfhout, Huygens, Van Vooren, Cockheijt, Van der Reysen (Vandenbroecke 76).
Unused Sub: Balogun.
Booked: De Pauw, Huygens.
Attendance: 944