Men's football news
Goals from
Charlie Coppola and Billy Medlock helped Lewes to an impressive victory over
Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division side Bishop’s Stortford in the FA Trophy
second qualifying round at the Pan, reports Tom Harper.
Darren
Freeman made three changes to the side that beat Horsham YMCA 7-0 in the Sussex
Senior Cup in their previous game, with Steve Brinkhurst, Lloyd Cotton and
Billy Medlock replacing Frankie Chappell, Wilf Grimaud and Jonte Smith in the
starting line-up.
Lewes had
already knocked out higher level opposition in this competition by winning 4-1
at Dunstable in the previous round and made a bright start to this game, with
Ronnie Conlon sending a half-volley just over the bar after the visitors had
been unable to clear a Charlie Coppola cross from the right.
The Rooks
continued to press early on and took the lead after 12 minutes, as Conlon
latched onto a superb cross-field ball from James Hammond and crossed for
Coppola to finish into the roof of the net from close range.
The visitors
were seeing plenty of the ball but were struggling to create any clear-cut
opportunities, and were grateful to goalkeeper Tyler McCarthy for a fine save
to keep out a Conlon strike from the edge of the area.
Bishop’s
Stortford finished the half strongly and could have gone into the break level,
with Matthew George making a superb covering challenge at the far post to
prevent Freddy Moncur converting a low Afolabi Akinyemi cross, before Josh
Simpson saw a goal-bound effort from the edge of the area deflect off Lloyd
Cotton and go just over the bar.
Lewes spent
the opening stages of the second half defending, but still saw Billy Medlock
send a shot on the turn just wide after a purposeful run down the left by the
impressive Conlon.
The visitors
were enjoying their best spell of the game though, with Joe Robinson sending a
close-range header straight at Winterton and Moncur volleying just wide from
the edge of the area as they looked to find an equaliser.
Lewes always
looked capable of causing the visitors problems with their pace on the break
and they doubled their lead after 62 minutes through Medlock, who exchanged
passes with Conlon before sending a superb curling effort from just inside the
area over McCarthy and into the back of the net.
Stortford
almost pulled a goal back immediately, but saw Akinyemi’s long-range effort go
just wide.
The visitors
continued to look for a way back into the game, as Winterton gathered a
powerful Moncur shot at the second attempt before somehow making up the ground
to clear a Callum Taylor effort off the line when the substitute had virtually
the whole goal to aim for minutes later.
Lewes saw
out the five minutes of stoppage time relatively comfortably, with Conlon denied
by McCarthy as he looked to cap a fine individual performance with a goal in
the last action of the game.
This was an
excellent result for the Rooks, who defended well and took their chances to
move into the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy. Understandably, post-match Ross Standen was full of praise for the performance.
Lewes return
to league action when they visit Whyteleafe on Tuesday, kick-off at 7.45pm.
Lewes: Winterton, Brinkhurst, George,
Hammond, Cotton, Hurley, Bosma (Grimaud 76), Sow (Chappell 55), Medlock (Smith
81), Conlon, Coppola.
Unused Subs: McCarthy, Barclay.
Booked: Bosma, Sow.
Bishop’s Stortford: McCarthy, Casey, Tumwa, Simpson,
Ekpiteta, Robinson, Moncur, Westcott, Owusu (Taylor 62), Akinyemi, Foxley.
Unused Subs: Richefond, Thomas, Crowther.
Booked: None.
Referee: Craig Green
Attendance: 568