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Written by: DanielL
Aidan Elve reporting from The Dripping Pan
Lewes men drew 1-1 against Wingate & Finchley in their final home game of the season on Saturday, a result that ensured both teams’ survival in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
The Rooks went a goal down in the seventh minute, when an unmarked Ruben Bartlett-Antwi headed in a cross for the visitors.
The opposition’s number nine was a threat throughout the first half, forcing a good save from Louis Rogers in the 31st minute.
Lewes equalised just before half-time when, in the 41st minute, the ball was whipped in from the right side of the pitch to Nikolai Krokhin at the back post.
Krokhin, making his first start for the Rooks, headed across to fellow centre back Charlie Paye, who levelled the scores with his first goal in a Lewes shirt.
Lewes had a goal disallowed a few minutes later when Bobby Unwin’s unlucky attempt hit the post and rebounded to Jackson King, who put the ball in the net but was judged to be offside.
The game fizzled out in the second half, where both teams struggled to create many clear-cut opportunities and ultimately settled for the draw, ensuring mathematical safety from relegation.
Speaking after the game, Lewes men’s first team manager Craig Nelson said: “If you said at the beginning, would we take a point off Wingate and stay in the league, everyone would have bitten your hand off for it.
“Overall, I was proud of how the boys came back into the game to make it 1-1.
“I think we were largely the better side towards the end of the first half.
“In the second half, it was cagey from both sides, the game fizzled out and it was a game of chess.
“Neither of us were able to break each other down or create many chances.”
Reflecting on the reaction from the players after a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Cray Wanderers the previous weekend, Nelson said: “One thing we pride ourselves on as, not just a club, but as a management team as well, is effort and togetherness.
“We didn’t see that in large parts of the second half against Cray.
“For me, sometimes, the boys need to make sure they understand what it means, not just to those who are playing, but to the club and people who come and support, the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
“To give up in the dying ends of that game was never good enough, so we made sure we put them through their paces in the week.
“We’ve got a good group – they’re bubbly always – and today I think you saw that in terms of going a goal behind; they didn’t cower away or hide and they did really well to get back into the game.”
Lewes: Rogers, King (Kpakpé 89′), Paye, Krokhin, Bernal, Christian-Law ©, Allen, Booth (Richardson 63′), West (Bassett 73′), Unwin, Walker (Roberts 63′)
Booked: Booth
Subs not used: Watson
Wingate & Finchley: Grainger, Garrett-Douglas, Solomon, Cracknell ©, Frempah, Cornish (Fresneda 69′), Bennison (Hernandez 73′), Watt (McGettigan 63′), Bartlett-Antwi, Ilic (Restrepo 63′), Jambang (Horsley-McKay 78′)
Booked: Watt, Bartlett-Antwi, Solomon
Subs not used: none
Attendance: 972
Photography by James Boyes