Matches

MATCH REPORT VS LEWES FC (AWAY) by Carol Smith-Allen

To have reached 100 points would have rounded off this fantastic season nicely, but achieving this threshold was hardly essential, and fourth place Lewes dashed any hopes Blues had of doing so at The Dripping Pan last night. Rooks emerged eventual winners in what proved to be a disappointing encounter, partly due to the very uneven and in places threadbare pitch together with some dubious officiating.

Steve King’s men came out in determined mood, and Mark Stimson’s changed formation made up of regular and fringe players immediately found themselves under the cosh.

With only six minutes gone the home side came close but Danny Davis was denied by the Grays No. 2 keeper Carl Emberson.

It took until the quarter of an hour mark for Blues to create their first opening; Steve West headed the ball into the path of Grays’ ‘old boy’ Martin Carthy but the midfielder’s twenty yard shot went wide of the upright, and two minutes later with Emberson beaten Davis produced a shot of similar dimensions.

Despite the home side having the upper hand, in the 22nd minute Grays took the lead. Mitchell Cole’s close range strike was parried by Lewes keeper Scott Ward, but Dean Brennan, again returned to his original position in midfield, was on hand to collect the rebound and send the ball crashing against the far post and into the net.

It didn’t take long for Rooks to equalize, and three minutes later they drew level when ex-Grays player Francis Duku found himself in space at the back post to head home from point blank range.

Although play proceeded to be a bit scrappy, partly down to the whistle happy referee and also due to the unpredictable bounce of the ball on the lumpy and bumpy surface, Grays were no longer under pressure, and on thirty-four minutes they came close to regaining the lead. West set-up Cole but Ward saved with his legs, and Olowatabi Jinadu swiftly put the ball out of play for a corner.

Lewes started the second half the brighter of the two sides and always looked the more likely to score, whereas Grays were having difficulty playing as a unit, and at times their passing was a bit irratic.

Within minutes of the restart Referee Mr. Laver was forced to retire due to injury, and one of the assistant officials took his place. A minor melee then occurred following a clash between Joe Bruce and Rooks’ Lee Farrell. Both players received bookings as a result of this incident.

On fifty-nine minutes Grays made their first and only substitution replacing Carthy with Gary Hooper.

Heavy drizzle had made the playing surface wet, and Blues almost gifted the opposition a goal when Ade Olayinka slipped over. Fortunately Rooks’ shot missed the target.

The home side then came close on seventy minutes when ex-professional Barrington Belgrave’s shot flew just over the crossbar. Two minutes later Grays were back in front when Brennan got a second to bring his tally for the season to eleven; John Martin crossed the ball to the midfielder who then unleashed a fierce thirty yard shot which again struck the post before ending up in the back of the net.

Blues joy was to be short lived. The Grays back four appeared to be having forty winks as Belgrave, having been set up by Jinadu, lobbed the ball over Emberson.

Lewes brought on Anthony Storey for Davis, and with ten minutes remaining the home side clinched the winner courtesy of Farrell. Shortly afterwards Belgrave nearly got his second and Rooks’ fourth but was thwarted by Emberson.

Grays then applied some pressure forcing two corner kicks, but it was Rooks who could have grabbed a late goal; with the Blues defence all at sea Farrell screwed his shot narrowly wide of the woodwork.

The Lewes supporters were clearly very happy indeed and no excuses for a below par performance from Grays, but I’m sure the players have one eye on the Trophy Final and as such are competing with an air of caution, not wanting to sustain any injuries or risk suspension. To miss out on the ‘big one’ would surely be a bitter pill to swallow.

Teams:-
Lewes:- Ward, Lovett, Duku, Jinadu, Harvey, Dobson, Kennett (c), Davis, Watts, Belgrave, Farrell Subs:- Newman, Whiteman, Storey (used), Kadi, Cable
Grays Athletic:- Emberson, Bruce, Stirling, Robinson, Olayinka, Thurgood (c), Brennan, Carthy, West, Cole, Martin Subs:- Hooper (used), Bayes, Nutter, Battersby, McLean

Referee:- Mr. A. Laver

Attendance:- 483

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