Men's football news
Written by: DanielL
Lewes men returned to winning ways on Tuesday night, beating Cheshunt 2-1 in the first match since Craig Nelson’s re-appointment as First Team Manager.
Goals from Lukas Franzen-Jones and Devonte West, either side of a George Nunn equaliser from the penalty spot, secured the Rooks’ first victory in eight Isthmian League Premier Division matches.
Nelson, who managed the Rooks through the 2024-25 season, returned to the club on 23rd October and received a warm welcome from The Dripping Pan faithful.
His side initially had to deal with Cheshunt’s pressing attackers, who generated a handful of chances in the early stages but were unable to convert.
The hosts soon settled into the game and broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when Franzen-Jones beat the last defender in an aerial battle.
Bearing down on Cheshunt goalkeeper Aymen Azaze, Franzen-Jones calmly found the net in front of a jubilant Philcox Stand.
However, the Lewes lead didn’t last long as the referee awarded the Ambers a penalty for a foul at the half-hour mark.
Nunn stepped up to take it and his powerful shot beat Lewes keeper Louis Rogers, who dived the right way.
That meant the two sides reached the interval on equal terms. Neither opted to make any substitutions at the break, although Nelson carried out a tactical adjustment, swapping wingers Antonio Morgan and West onto their opposite flanks.
Cheshunt almost took the lead in the 62nd minute when Rogers blocked a long-range shot and the follow-up was blazed over from point-blank.
That miss proved costly for the Hertfordshire side, as three minutes later the Rooks were back in front.
A slick one-two between West and Ryan Bernal on the right created space for the former inside the Cheshunt penalty box, and he tucked his shot in at the near post.
The closing minutes saw Cheshunt push for a second equaliser. In the 81st minute, Rogers denied Nunn from close range with an excellent save, before a shot from outside the area rattled the Lewes crossbar in stoppage time.
The Rooks survived that late scare, and almost scored at the other end as substitute Jordan Maguire-Drew had a curling effort turned around the post by Azaze.
It proved to be a morale-boosting win for the home side after a string of tough matches in league and cup competitions.
“The boys deserved this one,” said Nelson. “We spoke about being together and making sure that the crowd were behind them, giving them something to be proud of.
“I think, today, they would have walked off [feeling] like that. It’s amazing to come back and start it off with three points.”
Lewes men now look ahead to an away fixture at Cray Valley Paper Mills on Saturday, 1st November.
The next men’s home match at The Dripping Pan is on Saturday, 8th November against league leaders Brentwood Town. Click here for tickets.
Lewes: Rogers, Asiedu, Bernal, Watson ©, Salaam, Morgan (Clarke 69’), Muirhead, Franzen-Jones (Walker 75’), Christmas (Hamouchene 63’), Bennett (Andrews 87’), West (Maguire-Drew 88’)
Booked: Watson, Salaam, Maguire-Drew
Subs not used: none
Cheshunt: Azaze, Akolbire (Soulya 82’), Roberts, Wilson-Braithwaite, Furlong, Naylor, Gibson-Hammond (Effa 75’), Hunt (Kurran-Browne 75’), Nunn, Granville, Fanimo
Booked: none
Subs not used: Smith-Kouassi, Iontton
Referee: Adrian Harris
Attendance: 470