Rooks back to winning ways at Leatherhead

A second-half Joe Taylor penalty helped Lewes to a vital 1-0 win at Leatherhead, reports Tom Harper.

Tony Russell named an unchanged side after Saturday’s narrow 2-1 defeat at home to Worthing.

Despite their league position, Leatherhead have improved of late and made a bright start to this game, with Cameron Black sending a close-range header straight at Lewis Carey early on.

Lewes were finding it difficult to play their usual free-flowing passing game on an unpredictable pitch but came close to taking the lead themselves through Bradley Pritchard, who stung the palms of Harry Cawdron from a tight angle after being played through by Rhys Murrell-Williamson.

Cawdron was called into action again minutes later, making a more comfortable save to keep out a Michael Klass effort from the edge of the area.

Leatherhead were getting the ball forward quickly when they could and saw Jermaine McGlashan capitalise on some hesitant Will Salmon defending from one such ball, running through on goal and forcing a fine save from Carey.

The Rooks were dealt a blow on 18 minutes when Murrell-Williamson, who had made a bright start down the right, was forced off injured and replaced by Deshane Dalling.

The remainder of the half passed without incident, as both sides continued to show plenty of endeavour without forcing either goalkeeper into any further meaningful action.

Lewes made a strong start to the second half and nearly took the lead in bizarre circumstances, as Cawdron dropped a mis-hit Tom Carlse cross onto the far post before a covering defender just beat Dalling to the loose ball and cleared it behind.

The resulting corner from the right, taken by Ollie Tanner, was helped on by Salmon for Casey Pettit to send a powerful close-range header on target, which was pushed over the bar by Cawdron.

The Rooks were handed an excellent chance to take the lead on 52 minutes, as they were awarded a penalty after Mitchal Gough was adjudged to have shoved Joe Taylor in the back as he held the ball up just inside the area.

Taylor took the penalty himself and sent Cawdron the wrong way from the spot to give the Rooks the lead their start to the second half had been threatening.

Lewes continued to play on the front foot and came close to doubling their lead through Tanner, who shot just wide of the near post after being played in down the left by Taylor Maloney.

Leatherhead thought they had equalised just before the hour as a corner was bundled into the net from close range, but the goal was disallowed as Gough appeared to help the ball on at the near post with his arm.

Coming so close to an equaliser appeared to give the hosts more confidence, and Carey was soon forced into a superb save to push a curling strike from Christos Papakonstatinou round the post.

Lewes came close to doubling their lead and all-but securing the win late on, with Cawdron making an excellent stop to deny Dalling, who had turned a Tanner cross-shot goalwards from point-blank range.

Leatherhead continued their search for an equaliser late on and saw James O’Halloran launch a number of dangerous long throws towards the Lewes penalty area, but were unable to fashion a chance of note, with the Rooks seeing out the final few minutes of stoppage time to record a vital win in the race for a play-off place.

Next up for Lewes is a trip to Haringey Borough on Saturday, kick-off at 3pm.

Leatherhead: Cawdron, O’Halloran, Paget, Lamont, Black, Gough, Papakonstatinou, Burnett (Calucane 79), McGlashan (Botti 19), McAuley (Hanson 85), Worsfold.

Unused Subs: Johnson, Richards.

Booked: Paget, Lamont, Gough, Burnett.

Lewes: Carey, Spencer, Carlse, Salmon, Pettit, Klass, Maloney (McLeod 78), Pritchard, Murrell-Williamson (Dalling 18), Tanner (Yao 85), Taylor.

Unused Subs: Hall, Nelson.

Booked: None.

Attendance: 335 (approximately 40 travelling Rooks)