Club news
Written by: Stuart
A superb late strike from Tom Beere gave fellow play-off hopefuls Carshalton Athletic all three points on a chilly night in South London.
The Rooks welcomed back Johnville Renee from injury whilst on the bench Rhys Murrell-Williamson returned from his spell at Hendon and was joined by new signing Harvey Walker.
In a cagey opening quarter Lewes looked the stronger of the two sides, forcing Carshalton into some tight spaces thanks to their high press. A dangerous in-swinging corner from Jamie Mascoll had Carshalton keeper Danny Bracken scrambling across his line whilst at the other end the visitors thought they had the lead after Akrofi tapped in but was in an offside position.
Neither side could create any further clear cut chances in a half where most of the action was in midfield.
Lewes had the sizeable away support purring in the 62nd minute when a superb move involving Ryan Gondoh and Dean Moore set up Joe Taylor but his effort was well saved by Bracken. At the other end Lewis Carey pulled off a superb save, tipping a powerful drive over the bar.
The home side took the lead in 72nd minute when Will Salmon was adjudged to have fouled Matthew Vigor in the area and Tom Beere took the spot kick and narrowly beat Lewis Carey.
Lewes came within inches of levelling the scores in the 77nd minute when Will Salmon’s header was spectacularly cleared off the line by a Carshalton’s Tommy Bradford.
Lewes’s equaliser in the 82nd minute was a superb centre-forward’s goal when a ball was played into Joe Taylor’s feet on the edge of the box and he held off his defender, turned and hit a low shot past Bracken.
The Rooks lead lasted less than a minute as from the restart the ball fell to Tom Beere 25 yards out and his shot found the top corner despite the efforts of Lewis Carey. It could have been worse when Salmon misjudged a ball on the half way line allowing Ekpiteta to race clear but once again Lewis Carey was the saviour with a superb save down to his left.
The Rooks had a couple of late chances, one for Joe Taylor where he couldn’t quite direct his header on target but it was a disappointed set of players and management at the final whistle as they left South East London pointless.
Next up for Lewes is a trip to Bromley to face 2nd in the table Cray Wanderers on Saturday 28th January, kick off 3pm.
Carshalton Athletic: Bracken, Lema, Hamblin, Cook, Williams, Beere, Cumerbatch, Ekpiteta, Akinwande, Bradford, Akrofi (Vigor 68mins)
Subs not used: Barnett, Parker, MxKenzie-Atumuto
Booked: Akinwade, Vigor
Lewes: Carey, Renee (Olukoga 68 mins), Mascoll, Salmon, Champion, Young, Pritchard (Scott 77 mins), Hyde, Gondoh, Moore (Murrell-Williamson 78 mins), Taylor
Subs not used: Tamplin, Walker
Booked: Hyde, Gondoh, Champion
Attendance: 265 (approximately 35 travelling Rooks)