Men's football news
Lewes made it four points from two games over the Bank Holiday weekend with a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Horsham at the Pan, reports Tom Harper.
Tony Russell made one change to the side that won 3-1 at Potters Bar on Saturday, with Tom Carlse replacing Iffy Allen in the starting line-up on his return from suspension.
The Rooks started brightly after recording their first win of the season on Saturday, and were unfortunate to see Freddie Parker just unable to make meaningful contact with a Razzaq Coleman De-Graft cross from the right early on.
The visitors had also won for the first time two days previously and came close to taking the lead themselves minutes later, as Charlie Hester-Cook missed the target from just inside the area after Lewes had been unable to clear a corner.
Both sides continued to look dangerous as the half progressed, with Ollie Tanner hitting the side-netting after good work down the left by Tom Carlse.
Horsham enjoyed arguably their best spell of the game in the 20 minutes before half-time, as Tom Richards sent a free-kick from the edge of the area just wide, before Lewis Carey made a smart save to deny Luke Robinson.
The visitors thought they had taken the lead ten minutes before the break, but saw Shamir Fenelon flagged offside as he helped the ball over the line from point-blank range after a good run down the right by Robinson.
Robinson was the next player to go close for Horsham, shooting wide from the edge of the area after Rob O’Toole had helped a long ball forward and found him in space.
The Rooks had the final opportunity of the half, as De-Graft forced Sam Howes into action after a purposeful run from midfield.
Lewes started the second half on the back foot, as the visitors forced a succession of corners without testing Carey.
Carey did have to be alert minutes later though, as he got down well to keep out a powerful strike from former Lewes defender Tom Day.
There were fewer clear-cut opportunities for both sides during the second half, with Lewes seeing plenty of the ball but finding it difficult to turn that possession into chances.
The closest Lewes came to scoring as the half progressed saw Joe Taylor draw a fine save from Howes with a powerful effort after he had done well to turn former Rook Alex Malins in the area.
Both sides continued to try and win the game in the closing stages and the final chance of the game fell to Fenelon, who shot over the bar after being picked out at the far post by Richards.
The final few minutes passed with little incident, with both sides settling for a point at the end of a competitive local derby.
Highlights from today’s game can be viewed, thanks to Your Instant Replay, here.
To read today’s Progcast click here.
For more pictures from the game from the camera of James Boyes, click here.
The Rooks welcome Metropolitan Police to the Pan in the FA Cup first qualifying round on Saturday, kick-off at 3pm.
Lewes: Carey, Colombie, Carlse, Nelson, Weaire, Klass, Tanner (Allen 90), Olukoga, Taylor, Parker (Dent 73), De-Graft.
Unused Subs: D’Arienzo, Yao, Ojo.
Booked: Carlse, De-Graft.
Horsham: Howes, Day, Sparks, Hester-Cook, Charman (Malins 48), Miles, Robinson (Harding 71), Brivio (Tuck 80), Fenelon, O’Toole, Richards.
Unused Subs: Harris, Smith.
Booked: O’Toole.
Attendance: 1,051