Club news
A below-par performance saw Lewes suffer a 3-1 defeat at home to Whitehawk, despite Ben Pope giving the Rooks an early lead with his first goal for the club, reports Tom Harper.
Darren Freeman made one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Tonbridge Angels in their previous game, Kieron Pamment replacing Luke Blewden in the starting line-up.
Lewes started brightly and took the lead after ten minutes, Ben Pope collecting the ball 25 yards from goal and unleashing an unstoppable strike past Melvin Minter in the Whitehawk goal and into the top corner.
The visitors had won their previous three games heading into this one so were unsurprisingly playing with confidence, and saw Lucas Rodrigues denied by Lewis Carey after being played through on goal as they looked to level the scores.
Whitehawk did find an equaliser after 20 minutes through Ky Marsh-Brown, who was on hand to roll the ball into an empty net after Carey had saved well from Duane Ofori-Acheampong at the end of an incisive counter-attack.
The remainder of the first half passed with little goalmouth action, although the Rooks saw Omarr Lawson divert a George Tuson-Firth cross from the left just over the bar from close range as they looked to regain their lead.
Lewes started the second half brightly and enjoyed arguably their best spell of the game, with Henri Wilder seeing a header from a James Hammond cross saved by Minter, before Kieron Pamment missed the target from almost on the penalty spot after Minter had only been able to fumble a cross from substitute Dayshonne Golding.
The visitors made the most of these let-offs by taking the lead just after the hour, Ofori-Acheampong meeting a Henry Muggeridge corner with a thumping header which went through a crowd of players before ending up in the back of the net.
The Rooks pushed for an equaliser for long periods of the second half without troubling Minter, the Whitehawk defence dealing relatively comfortably with the numerous crosses into the box from wide areas.
Lewes were handed a great opportunity to equalise with six minutes remaining, as they were awarded a penalty after Lawson saw his cross handled by a visiting defender.
Lawson took the penalty himself, but blazed his spot-kick high over the bar and into the Philcox Stand to give the visitors renewed hope that they could see the game out.
Things got even worse for Lewes in the final minute of normal time, as James Hammond was stretchered off after a strong challenge by Rodrigues.
Whitehawk added insult to injury deep into stoppage time, as Muggeridge ran through and finished past Carey from inside the area to make it 3-1 and secure a fourth consecutive win for the visitors and extend Lewes’ winless run to seven games.
After the game Barry Collins spoke to an understandably despondent Darren Freeman.
You can read the Progcast here.
James Boyes’ pictures from the game can be viewed here.
Lewes will hope to return to winning ways when they visit Corinthian Casuals on Tuesday, kick-off at 7.45pm.
Lewes: Carey, Dome-Bemwin (Golding 57), Wilder, Lawson, Chappell, Freeman, Hammond, Diallo (Coppola 81), Pope, Tuson-Firth (Adeyemo 81), Pamment.
Unused Subs: Day, Blewden.
Booked: Dome-Bemwin, Chappell, Diallo.
Whitehawk: Minter, Walsh, Goode, Ambroisine, Christie, Rodrigues, Kissock (Ebuzoeme 86), Ofori-Acheampong (Williams 77), Muggeridge, Marsh-Brown, Pinney (Ovenden 67).
Unused Subs: Watson, Tighe.
Booked: Minter, Kissock.
Referee: Peter Cruise
Attendance: 881