Men's football news
Written by: Jack
Lewes crashed out of the FA Trophy after falling to a 3-1 defeat at local rivals Whitehawk. Reports Tom Harper.
Tony Russell handed a debut to new signing Luke Dreher, and also recalled Ola Ogunwamide and Chris Whelpdale to the starting line-up with Deon Moore on international duty, and Keiran Murtagh dropping to the bench.
Lewes made a bright start, seeing plenty of the ball without creating a chance of note.
The first clear-cut opening of the game fell to Whitehawk, who saw Charlie Lambert shoot wide from inside the area after a Tommy Brewer cut-back from the left found him with time and space.
The Rooks soon began to turn their possession into efforts on goal, with Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala drawing a smart save from Mitch Walker, before Tommy Wood shot just wide at the end of an incisive move minutes later.
Lewes took a deserved lead on 19 minutes, Ogunwamide running onto a Wood through-ball before finishing calmly past Walker and into the bottom corner.
This seemed to galavanise the hosts and they equalised just six minutes later, Charlie Walker latching onto a long ball forward from Mitch Walker before cleverly finishing across Nathan Harvey and into the bottom corner on the half-volley.
Whitehawk were handed an excellent chance to take the lead on 36 minutes, as Harvey Hughes was deemed to have fouled Walker in the area.
The striker took the penalty himself, blasting his spot-kick down the middle to make it 2-1 to the hosts.
Whitehawk were rampaging forward at every opportunity and extended their lead five minutes before the break through Dominic Johnson-Fisher, who cut in from the left before unleashing an unstoppable strike past Harvey and into the top corner.
Playing up the hill whilst chasing the game was always going to prove difficult for Lewes after the break and despite enjoying spells of possession, they found it tough to break down the well-organised hosts.
The closest they came to finding a route back into the game saw Jake Elliott send a looping header from a Chris Whelpdale corner against the bar.
Whelpdale could have pulled a goal back himself, but saw his powerful strike from a tight angle saved by Walker at his near post.
Whitehawk saw the game out comfortably, defending well and always posing a threat going forward, leaving Lewes to reflect on a frustrating afternoon in East Brighton.
The Rooks will hope to return to winning ways when they welcome Haringey Borough to the Pan in the league next Saturday, kick-off at 3pm.
Whitehawk: M. Walker, Morrison, Wright, Brewer, Tennent, Cocorrachio, Lambert (Worrall 65), Dixon, C. Walker (Pope 70), Daly, Johnson-Fisher (Collins 61).
Unused Subs: Harman, Cody, Chalaye.
Booked: Lambert, Dixon.
Lewes: Harvey, Olukoga, Vint (Salmon 74), Elliott, Hughes (Dalling 74), Penney, Dreher (Murtagh 51), Whelpdale, Lumbombo-Kalala, Ogunwamide, Wood.
Unused Subs: Lyon-Monk, Panyi, Wickramsinghe.
Booked: Vint, Penney.
Attendance: 723 (approximately 100 Rooks fans)