Women's football news
Written by: Joe
Lewes interim manager Craig Gill hopes the vocal support from fans at the Dripping Pan can give the players the edge against Sunderland on Sunday.
The Rooks haven’t played a home league game since the mid-November victory over Coventry United, thanks to the Christmas break and covid absentees leading to postponed fixtures.
Last weekend Gill saw his troops come up short in the 1-0 defeat at Charlton, which in itself was a first competitive clash for Lewes in a month.
But the boss says his players have reacted well to the defeat in London and are ready to go again this Sunday.
“We were bitterly disappointed both with the performance and the result against Charlton,” admits Gill.
“It was most uncharacteristic of us, to be honest. We were poor in possession and didn’t defend as we needed – both individually and collectively. We know we can do better than that.
‘The girls have bounced back’
“Obviously we hadn’t played for a month going into that game so there was potentially a bit of rustiness there, with games postponed because of Covid and the Christmas break.
“However, this week the girls have bounced back typically in enthusiastic fashion.
“They’ve shown those great qualities again, with and without the ball.”
Lewes head into Sunday’s tie with Sunderland having earned a 1-1 draw on Wearside back in September.
‘Fans bring a great atmosphere to the Pan’
A victory could cut the gap between the Rooks and the top six in the FA Women’s Championship – and Gill is confident his team will produce the goods in front of home support once again.
“We’re hoping for a much-improved performance against Sunderland at the weekend, where we can hopefully put on a performance which is indicative of our qualities. Hopefully that then turns into points,” he adds.
“We’re very much looking to play a home league game for the first time in two months. The players are very much looking forward to it.
“The fans bring a great atmosphere to the Pan, especially with the band!
“It means a lot to the players and really does make a difference, helping them to perform as best they can. We’re very much looking forward to seeing the fans back and cheering us on this Sunday.”
Lewes vs Sunderland tickets
Lewes FC tickets for the game, which kicks off at 2pm on Sunday, are available to buy online (at a discount) or on the gate.
Ticket prices on the gate are as follows:
Adults – £12 general admittance
Concessions – £8 general admittance
Kids (under 16) – free!
Beach hut for six people – £99