Men's football news
Written by: Stuart
Lewes progressed to the third round of the Sussex Senior Cup after a 4-1 victory at an impressive Littlehampton side, reports Tom Harper.
A number of first-team players were rested, but it was still a strong Lewes team that took to the field in West Sussex against the Southern Combination Premier leaders.
The hosts started confidently and came close to taking the lead inside the first two minutes, Tom Biggs rattling the post with a powerful strike from the edge of the area.
Lewes made the most of this let-off by going ahead themselves after only three minutes through Razz Coleman De-Graft, who cut inside from the right and exchanged passes with Michael Klass before unleashing an unstoppable curling effort into the top corner.
The Rooks doubled their lead on 26 minutes as Klass latched onto a Killian Colombie through-ball before finishing with aplomb past Genty Poda in the Littlehampton goal.
It was 3-0 after half-an-hour, with Klass in the right place to blast a Tom Carlse cut-back into the roof of the net after good build-up play down the left.
The score-line suggested Lewes had been in complete control, but the hosts had more than played their part in an entertaining first half, forcing a number of corners and always looking a threat in the final third.
The Rooks had been clinical when on the attack though, and Poda had to be alert to keep out a Klass free-kick.
Littlehampton deservedly pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time, as Mo Jammeh got in behind the Lewes defence before lifting the ball over Lewis Carey.
The hosts had the better of the early stages of the second half, and Carey was forced into two smart saves in quick succession to deny Biggs.
Lewes withstood this pressure though, and were soon back on the attack themselves, with Freddie Parker drawing two superb saves from Poda after being picked out by Klass set-pieces.
The Rooks scored a fourth goal and effectively ensured their place in the third round with 15 minutes remaining, as Klass played Parker through to finish across Poda and into the bottom corner.
Youth-team players Harrison Page and Kaiden Hummerston were handed senior debuts late on, along with Ben Hack who had been introduced earlier in the half, to cap a positive evening for the Rooks, the only worry being a second half injury to Kenny Yao.
Lewes return to league action on Saturday when they welcome Folkestone Invicta to the Pan, kick-off at 3pm.
Littlehampton Town: Poda, Hunt, Jenkins (S. Herbert 72), D. Herbert, Peake, Layton, Pattendon, Biggs, Benn, Jammeh, Jarvis (Clark 72).
Unused Subs: Duncan, Hand, Binfield.
Booked: Layton, Jarvis.
Lewes: Carey, Colombie, Carlse, Olukoga, Weaire, Yao (Hack 52), Allen, Klass, Moore (Page 83), Parker (Hummerston 83), De-Graft.
Unused Subs: Rohilla, Agnihotri.
Booked: Allen, Parker.
Attendance: 212 (approximately 30 Rooks)
Referee: Steve Hughes