It’s hard to imagine that when Tony was being interviewed by the board a couple of years ago anyone would have bothered to ask: “How would you prepare for a Saturday fixture after a long midweek journey in Europe?”.
These are indeed strange and wonderful times, and so after Tuesday’s win in Beveren, we were all left wondering how the team would pull themselves together for this one. Lord knows, a few of the fans weren’t exactly bouncing up the terrace steps, let alone the players.
It was hard not to fear the dreaded European hangover when we barely had time to reach the Terry Parris Terrace before the visitors had taken the lead. Arthur Penney got dumped on his backside by a pair of closing-down attackers, and Cheshunt sprayed the ball across the box to dinky Antonis Vasiliou. He sidefooted it into the inside side-netting to give Cheshunt an early Christmas present.
Thankfully, the Rooks didn’t cave in. We were a tad fortunate Cheshunt didn’t double their lead on the quarter-hour when Ola Ogunwamide was robbed in broad daylight and the attacker burst through on goal. His delicate chip over Nathan Harvey dropped just wide of his near stick.
However, it was Lewes doing most of the pressing, even if the equaliser did involve some reciprocal seasonal generosity from our visitors. Chris Whelpdale’s iffy corner was headed straight back at him, but he took full advantage of the second chance, darting to the byline and using the outside of his foot to cut a ball across the six-yard box, which was turned into his own net by Jimmy Wallace, bringing back memories of VHS videos that a few of us might have found under the tree in years gone past…
After the equaliser, it was Lewes who continued to look the more likely to bag the festive points. Ola almost put our noses in front when he curled one in, Razz-style, from the edge of the box, but his low effort smacked the base of the post and bounced out to safety.
Cheshunt definitely had their moments too, and it took a terrific save from Nathan Harvey to keep things level at the start of the second half, the Rooks keeper at full stretch to keep out an effort that was looping into the top corner. Perhaps it would be the…
Instead, it was another Christmas chart-topper who put all three points in the sack. Sam Oguntayo whipped in a delicious ball from the left-hand flank that a teammate got the faintest of headed flicks on to divert it into the net. Yes, it was of course Tommy ‘Roy’ Wood.
And so, after a midweek jolly in Belgium that all but booked our place in the finals of the Fenix Trophy next May, we got a much-needed three points at home too.
Merry Christmas, Everyone.
Lewes: Harvey, Olokuga, Oguntayo, Elliott, Salmon, Penney, Dreher, Whelpdale, Lumbombo-Kalala, Ogunwamide, Wood
Subs: Tamplin, Vint, Murtagh, Moore, Prithcard
Supporters Club man of the Match: In full agreement with Brain The Badge – Luke Dreher had a very tidy game in the middle of the park, with a special mention for the menacing Ola Ogunwamide on the wing.
Video highlights from Your Instant Replay:
Boyesy’s brilliant photos:
