Rooks get out of jail

Visitors Bromley had already taken an eighth-minute lead through Danny Hockton when, after 17 minutes, former Rook Francis Duku threaded a 35-yard pass along the deck for Nic McDonnell to slot past Steve Williams and put the visitors 2-0 up.

Steve King must have thought that a side including four of his former employees had already slammed the door shut. The visitors had taken the lead ten minutes earlier when Danny Hockton beat Williams from the edge of the box.

Even at 2-0 down Lewes were showing plenty of resolve and pace, with Andy Drury a threat down the right flank. But they seldom looked composed on the ball and seemed obsessed with one-touch passing.

On 53 minutes manager Steve King produced its trump card in front man Matt Groves, signed from Dorchester last week.

With almost his first touch Groves produced some magic which would have been worth the admission price alone. As Drury found his new colleague in a crowded penalty area, Groves, who had little room to move and not even time to look up at goal, produced a quarter turn and a shot that flashed past Andy Walker at his left hand post.

King, realising there were only a few rolls of the dice left, brought on Leon Legge and placed him alongside Paul Booth and Groves in a three-man front line. And with the clock showing ninety minutes Groves fed Booth on the right who floated a ball to the far post where Legge connected sweetly with his head to make it 2'“2 and leave the Rooks' unbeaten record intact. It was a Houdini routine that kept Lewes in second place below Eastbourne.

Groves has real presence and electrified the Pan as well as occupying two Bromley defenders at all times. The Lewes manager has invested wisely.

King said: "Of course I'm disappointed to have dropped points and slipped off top spot. It's also worrying that simple straight balls cut through our defence to allow them to score twice.

"Saying that I'm hearing from people who were well placed that one of their goals was several yards offside. I was generally disappointed in the referee who allowed them to encroach at every throw-in and didn't even book a defender who brought down Binns in the dying moments with Dale clean through."

But Legge's performance was obviously a real plus. King said: "We brought him on to replace Gary Holloway. Of course, Leon is a centre half but in the same way that Eastbourne occasionally throw Andy Atkin up front, he gave us aerial presence and nipped in for the equaliser."

Looking ahead to Saturday's away fixture against Havant, he said: "They are a well-organised physical side who'll be difficult to break down. But I'd ask Rooks fans to make the short journey along the coast and be our twelfth player."

There is a home game next Wednesday (Sept 26] against Arsenal Reserves with the promise of several internationals turning out.

Lewes: Williams, Conroy, Hamilton, Kennett (capt) (Groves 53), Robinson, Simpemba, Drury, Wormull (Holloway 58), Davis, Booth, Binns, Holloway (Legge 74) Subs not used: Barness, Watts.