Men's football news
A late
Whyteleafe equaliser meant Lewes had to settle for a point in this early-season
top-of-the-table clash at the Pan, after James Hammond had put the Rooks ahead
with 20 minutes remaining reports Tom Harper.
Darren
Freeman made one change to the side that won 2-1 at Walton Casuals in their
previous game, with Frankie Chappell replacing Alex Malins in the starting
line-up.
There were
few chances of note for either side during the first half, with both teams looking
organised defensively and restricting each other to long-range efforts.
Lewes
arguably had the better of the half-chances though, with Charlie Coppola
sending a free-kick just wide and Lloyd Cotton heading an excellent Gus Sow
corner over the bar.
The best
chance of the half fell to the visitors just before the break, with the
unmarked Jerry Amoo somehow missing the target from close range after running
onto an Andrew Musungu cross from the left at the near post.
The Rooks
made a brighter start to the second half, and saw Ronnie Conlon head a Jamie
Brotherton cross over the bar after some quick passing in midfield.
The
introduction of Billy Medlock in place of Coppola just after the hour gave
Lewes more pace in the final third, with Brotherton moving out to the right and
Medlock playing through the middle to try and cause the previously solid
Whyteleafe defence a few more problems.
Lewes were
enjoying their best spell of the game at this stage, and took the lead after 70
minutes, as James Hammond sent a powerful header from a Sow corner past Joe
Tupper in the visitor’s goal and into the back of the net with the help of a
slight deflection.
Having put
in such an impressive defensive display up until this point, Lewes would have
hoped to see out the closing stages and pick up the three points required to go
top of the league.
They looked
set to do so until four minutes from time, as a diagonal ball towards the left
was misjudged by Steve Brinkhurst, allowing Ambrose Gnahore to cut the ball
back for fellow substitute Nkori-Venceslas Bola to send a powerful finish past
the previously untroubled Chris Winterton and into the roof of the net to level
the scores.
The visitors
nearly completed a dramatic comeback minutes later, but Wazir Azeez Oliwonran
could only hit the side-netting after a Gnahore cross from the left had picked
him out at the far post.
Lewes saw
plenty of the ball in the closing stages, but were unable to turn possession
into chances and were forced to settle for a point.
A draw was
arguably a fair result on the balance of play, however the Rooks would have
hoped to see out the final 20 minutes after taking the lead.
Lewes will
hope to put the disappointment of conceding a late equaliser behind them when
they host Molesey on Saturday, kick-off at 3pm.
Lewes: Winterton, Brinkhurst, George,
Hammond, Chappell, Cotton, Bosma, Sow, Brotherton, Conlon, Coppola (Medlock
64).
Unused Subs: Landais, Malins, Reed, Grimaud.
Booked: Medlock.
Whyteleafe: Tupper, Simms, Musungu,
Oluwatimilehin, Howlett-Mundle, Forbes, Oliwonran, Elsom (Hegarty 67), Ajakaiye
(Bola 74), Hutchings, Amoo (Gnahore 72).
Unused Subs: Clayton, Scarborough.
Booked: Oluwatimilehin.
Referee: Barrie Small
Attendance: 430