Lewes were looking to make it four wins from four after defeating Potters Bar Town on Saturday, writes Mike Wallis. Perri Iandolo curled in a free-kick early on, Potters Bar equalised with an almost identical free kick shortly after and Ryan Bernal slotted in the winner midway through the second half. Despite many long throws and corners, Potters Bar couldn’t get back into the game.
Lots of familiar faces arrived with Burgess Hill, Jay Lovett’s time at Lewes was so long ago I was still living in Gloucestershire and missed it all; Chris Whelpdale’s role today was limited to watching from the sidelines as he missed out through injury; Martyn Box and Ben Pope had brief spells with Lewes in 2019; and Josh Spinks has returned to Burgess Hill after a spell with us at the end of last season.
The Hillians won the play-offs last season and helped restore the quota of Sussex clubs in the Isthmian Premier to a reasonable number after we lost Bognor and Hastings to relegation. They’ve made a good start, too: two wins, a draw and plenty of goals to show for their four matches so far.
The first half was the cliché chess match, with both sides defending deep and trying to catch the other out. Morgan fired a shot wide for Lewes, Lawson had a chance saved for Burgess Hill, Walker curled a free kick straight to the goalkeeper, nowhere near as good as the free-kicks we saw on Saturday. Burgess Hill goalkeeper Roco Rees managed to get booked for timewasting midway through the first half as the Hillians took an age to switch formation. Ryan Worrall got booked, much to the amusement of some kids stood behind me, as he is their PE teacher.
At half-time it was an even game, and felt like it might stay that way.
It didn’t. Brad’s post-match interview was interrupted by the goalkeeping-cum-set-piece coach heckling credit for the win. I can’t remember the last time I saw us score from a corner. All of a sudden Lewes were two up and we’d done it twice. A minute into the half, Morgan swung one in from the left and Ian Gayle inelegantly bundled the ball home with a combination of head and chest. Christmas swung another one in, Kaan Bennett flicked in a second. Burgess Hill’s game plan is now to bring on all their big strikers and to punt long balls at them, without any success. Jaden Perez firing a decent chance well over the bar.
Burgess Hill throwing men forward left gaps at the back. Devonte West had wasted a couple of opportunities on the break, but he and Billie Clark broke away one last time and found Walter Figueira in space, who was able to slot the third past Rees.
There was still time for Josh Spinks to somehow escape an early exit on his return to the Pan. Having talked his way into the book after Chalaye tripped West on the edge of the box, he pulled back Figueira to prevent a breakaway and somehow escaped a second yellow.
Four wins in a row. Another flying start to the season. Is having a cup run as well too much to ask?
Lewes: Rogers; Asiedu, Gayle (Clark 80), Burchell; Morgan (Erskine 65), Christmas, Chadwick (Swainston HT), Bennett, Bernal; Hamouchene (West HT), Walker (Figueira 80).
Goals: Gayle (46), Bennett (72), Figueira (85)
Burgess Hill Town: Rees; Morrison, Allen, Spinks, Worrall (Chalaye 61); Box (Theodore 78), Lawson (Perez 61), Rowe, Price (Gbolahan 78); Vorster, Pope.
Player of the match: Nobody had a bad game so I’ll agree with Brian the Badge and say Kaan Bennett.
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