Club news
Written by: Stuart
Lewes made it three wins from three at the start of the season for the first time in over a decade but were made to work hard for it by a resilient Potters Bar Town side.
Tony Russell’s hope of fielding the same starting XI for a third consecutive game were dashed when full-back Jake Elliott suffered a calf injury and was replaced by Archie Tamplin. Deon Moore took a spot on the bench after his three game suspension finally finished after his sending off back at Bognor Regis in April.
The home side came into the game without a point but from the opening exchanges you’d have been hard pressed to understand why as they put the Rooks under pressure from the first minute. Rohdell Gordon had an early shot cleared off the line then Brandon Adam’s went clean through but pulled it wide.
However, it was the Rooks who took the lead a couple of minutes later when Tommy Wood set up Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala who made no mistake with his effort. The home side went back on the attack and Nathan Harvey had to be in his best form to keep the lead for the Rooks.
One became two in the nineteenth minute when Ryan Gondoh scored his second of the season, taking the ball through the defence in his stripe and calmly poking it home. Lewes put that early pressure they endured to the back of their minds in the final few minutes of the half when Tommy Wood and Chris Whelpdale both being denied by Town keeper Preston Edwards.
The home side found their groove in the opening exchanges of the half with Harvey once again called to make excellent saves from Adams and Cheney before the former scored from close range on the seventh minute mark, reacting first to a great save by Harvey.
Few Rooks fan will need reminding of injury time in the corresponding fixture last year but this is a more resilient Lewes team and whilst Potters Bar controlled possession, it was the Rooks who could have grabbed a third on the break, Edwards saving well from Gondoh, the last meaningful action of the game.
This was the toughest test of the season so far but the Rooks came away with three more points. An even bigger test awaits the side next Saturday when title-favourites Hornchurch arrive at the Dripping Pan, kick off 3pm.
Goals: Lumbombo-Kalala 0-1 (10 mins), Gondoh 0-2 (19 mins), Adams 1-2 (70 mins)
Potters Bar Town: Edwards, Anderson, Keto, Hayles, Rose, Chaney, Dulson (Dowridge 65 mins), Allotey, Adams, Gordon (Babaie 77 mins), Pinto
Subs not used: Jessop, Chingoka, Hope
Booked: Chaney, Allotey, Gordon
Lewes: Harvey, Tamplin, Hughes, Vint, Penney, Egan (Pritchard 61 mins), Murtagh, Wood, Gondoh, Whelpdale (Panyi 90 mins), Lumbombo-Kalala (Moore 62 mins)
Subs not used: Salmon, Dalling
Booked: Harvey, Hughes, Vint, Penney
Attendance: 186 (approx. 30 travelling Rooks)