Club news
Written by: Stuart
Lewes made it two out of two with a dominant display at Kingstonian on Wednesday night reports Stuart Fuller, picture by Simon Roe.
Tony Russell was able to field an unchanged side from the opening day win against Cray Wanderers, with fit again Bradley Pritchard and Deshane Dalling being given places on the bench.
The Rooks started off positively and could have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute when a low cross from the left was deftly flicked goal wards by Tommy Wood, but the K’s keeper made a good stop. At the other end it took a brave block by Arthur Penney to keep out Eddie Dsane’s effort in a rare foray into the final third by the home side.
The opening quarter saw Lewes keep possession for long periods, trying to find a way through a resolute Kingstonian defence. Ryan Gondoh was given licence to move inside and was the stand out player in that first 30 minutes, setting up a chance for Whelpdale which the midfielder almost converted from an overhead kick.
Then, out of the blue the home side took the lead. A long cross-field ball saw Jake Elliott beaten in the air and the ball fell to Dsane whose powerful shot across the goal gave Nathan Harvey no chance.
Lewes responded well, with Whelpdale seeing an effort cleared off the line, then Gondoh picking the ball up 25 yards out and shooting past the Kingstonian keeper, who was slightly unsighted by the effort, to level the scores.
The Rooks had enough chances at the end of the half to go in ahead. Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala saw a well struck effort saved at the foot of the post then Tommy Wood came close to opening his Rooks account when the keeper saved with his legs after Keiran Murtagh’s low cross.
It didn’t take long for the Rooks to hit top gear after the brake, with Whelpdale helping himself to his second of the season in the 50th minute, Keiran Murtagh the provider and the icing on the cake was a 20-pass team move in the 65th minute culminating in a beautiful lay off by Tommy Wood for Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala to score the Rooks third and put the game beyond Kingstonian’s reach.
It was a comfortable win for Lewes, who dominated possession and on another day could have scored more if it wasn’t for such a good performance between the sticks by Endurance Johnson.
Goals: Gondah (34 mins), Whelpdale (51 mins), Lombombo-Kalala (67 mins)
Lewes: Harvey, Elliott, Harvey, Vint (Salmon 75 mins), Penney, Egan, Murtagh, Whelpdale (Pritchard 77 mins), Lumbombo-Kalala (Dalling 75 mins), Gondoh, Wood
Sub not used: Panyi
Attendance: 234 (travelling Rooks 63 or there abouts)