Club news
Lewes continued their 100% start to pre-season, as an encouraging performance saw the Rooks record a 3-1 win over National League South side Eastbourne Borough at the Pan, reports Tom Harper.
Lewes started brightly and could have taken the lead inside the first few minutes, with Ola Adeyemo heading a trialist’s corner just wide at the far post.
The Rooks looked the better side for long periods of the half and took the lead ten minutes before the break through Jordy Mongoy, who deflected a long-range strike from a trialist past Tom Hadler from just inside the area after a quickly-taken free-kick.
Borough were finding it difficult to create clear-cut opportunities but came close to equalising right on the stroke of half-time, with Nathan Stroomberg forced into a fine save to push a Greg Luer free-kick over the bar.
Darren Freeman only made one change at half-time, with Billy Collings replacing Stroomberg in goal, allowing the outfield players to get more minutes under their belts with the new season now just three weeks away.
Lewes were continuing to look dangerous whenever they went forward and doubled their lead after 58 minutes. Dayshonne Golding was the scorer, beating a defender before finding the bottom corner from the edge of the area after good work in midfield by the impressive Michael Dome-Bemwin.
The visitors pulled a goal back just seven minutes later through former Rook Nick Wheeler, who cut inside from the right and sent a superb long-range effort over Collings and in off the underside of the bar.
They very nearly levelled the scores almost immediately, as a powerful Michael West strike came back off the post.
Lewes made the most of this by regaining their two-goal advantage on 71 minutes, as Dean Bown dispossessed Hadler, who had been unable to control an over-hit pass back to him, before rolling the ball into the empty net.
The Rooks made several changes in the closing stages but were still unfortunate not to add to their lead, as Golding saw a deft chip from the edge of the area beat Hadler but hit the top of the bar
This was an impressive performance from Lewes, who continued their 100% start to pre-season and looked the better side against their higher level opponents for long periods.
After the game a happy assistant manager Ross Standen spoke to Barry Collins.
You can read today’s prodcast here.
The Rooks continue their pre-season preparations at East Grinstead Town on Tuesday night, kick-off at 7.45pm.
Lewes: Stroomberg, Day, Redwood, Dome-Bemwin, S. Freeman, Chappell, Golding, Hammond, Adeyemo, A Trialist, Mongoy.
Subs: Collings, Barclay, Gifford, Karl, T. Freeman, Bown, Jenkins, B Trialist, C Trialist.
Eastbourne Borough: Hadler, Adebayo-Rowling, Jones, Wills, Khinda-John, Adebowale, Cox, Ferry, Walker, Luer, Campbell.
Subs: Romain, West, Wheeler, Wilson, A Trialist, Blackmore, B Trialist, C Trialist.
Referee: Conal Bartlett
Attendance: 390