Club news
Written by: Stuart
Lewes ended their season with an entertaining 2-2 draw with Bowers & Pitsea at the Pan, reports Tom Harper.
Tony Russell made three changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Bognor in their previous game, with Matt Weaire, Juevan Spencer and Kenneth Yao replacing Mitchell Nelson, Casey Pettit and Razz Coleman De-Graft in the starting line-up.
Lewes took the lead after just four minutes, as a dangerous Deshane Dalling free-kick from the left was missed by everyone before nestling in the corner.
The visitors levelled the scores with their first attack of the game barely two minutes later, a swift counter-attack ending with Michael Ademiluyi sending a superb effort past Lewis Carey and in off the underside of the bar from the edge of the area.
After such a bright start from both sides, long periods of the remainder of the half passed with very few opportunities of note.
Bowers, playing their final game under long-serving manager Rob Small, always posed a threat though, with Carey making a smart save with his legs to deny Quentin Monville, before both Pedro Silva Barbosa Bento De Carvalho and Lewis Manor narrowly missed the target in the space of a few minutes.
Lewes dominated the closing stages of the half, with Ayo Olukoga seeing a towering header kept out by Mitchell Beeney before the loose ball was headed clear from almost on the line by Monville.
Olukoga came even closer to putting the Rooks back in front with the final meaningful action of the half, seeing a powerful effort come back off the far post after being teed up by Joe Taylor.
Half-time saw Lewes winger Razz Coleman De-Graft put pen to paper on a deal for next season in front of the Philcox Stand after an impressive first campaign with the club.
The Rooks started the second half on the front foot, an Ollie Tanner cross from the left just evading Taylor at the far post.
Lewes then saw Kenneth Yao denied by Beeney at the end of a sweeping move as they looked to end the season with a flourish in front of 960 fans at the Pan.
The visitors always looked capable of stretching the Lewes defence though, with a Carvalho cross being flicked across goal and just wide of the far post by Danny Norton.
Bowers took the lead on 57 minutes, as a corner from the right was headed past Carey from inside the six-yard box by Manor.
Lewes responded well and equalised two minutes later, Taylor running onto a through-ball from Michael Klass before finishing emphatically to level the scores.
The visitors continued to look dangerous at every set-piece and saw the unmarked Luke Wilson head a Jamie Dicks corner just wide.
Carey was then forced into a smart save to deny the impressive Ademiluyi at the end of an incisive counter-attack, before making a more comfortable stop to keep out a half-volley from substitute Reece Stringer.
Lewes enjoyed plenty of possession during the closing stages but were unable to create a chance of note, with the Rooks ending an impressive and enjoyable first season under Tony Russell in 7th place in the Isthmian Premier table.
Photos from James Boyes can be viewed here.
The match progcast is available here.
Highlights from Your Instant Replay can be found here.
Lewes: Carey, Spencer, Yao, Salmon, Weaire, Phipp, Olukoga, Klass, Tanner (Murrell-Williamson 69), Taylor, Dalling.
Unused Subs: Hall, Jenkins, Maloney, De-Graft.
Booked: None.
Bowers & Pitsea: Beeney, Stephen, Wilson, Monville, Norton, Manor, Mendes, Dicks (Stringer 80), Ademiluyi (Nche 90), Carvalho (Rusoke 89), White.
Unused Subs: Gilbey, Braney.
Booked: Dicks, White.
Attendance: 960