Even at this early stage of the season, a period of two games in 72 hours could make the difference between Lewes pulling away from the bottom four or being encamped near the bottom of the table.

The Rooks make the trip along the coast to Weymouth tomorrow before entertaining FA Trophy winners Ebbsfleet United on Bank Holiday Monday.
Lewes boss Kevin Keehan insisted morale was still high in the Dripping Pan camp despite heavy defeats in the last two games but said his players had to treat every game as a "cup final" from now until the end of the season.

Ex-Albion skipper Cullip has been absent from the side since the start of the campaign with a badly-swollen septic toe. And he has been missed, with the Lewes defence looking vulnerable – particularly in the air.

Keehan said, "I'm very hoping he'll be fit. He's walking about well enough. Unless it flares up again, which is unlikely, he'll be available for Saturday. It's not like it's a hamstring, where you don't know how it will react.

"We're just working hard on what we need to do. Danny coming back will give everyone a lift as well. We have just got to give it our all and treat each game like it's a cup final.

"We have got to do what we've got to do. (Weymouth manager) John Hollins I have met when he was at Crawley Town. His first thing there was to release (Keehan's son and current Lewes midfielder) Joe (pictured with the Lewes man of the match award after the Crawley game). Eastbourne Borough wanted him and he wanted to release players so it was a good way of getting him out.

"They have had a good start and it's never easy to go there. They're big and strong and they get it early, but so do a lot of teams in this division.

"And Ebbsfleet have got big strong boys at the back and John Akinde up front who is quick and strong. None of these games are easy, that's for sure.

"But we're confident that if we do what we can we can get something out of these two games. It's a strange league at the moment. Fancied teams are struggling and teams like Barrow are doing well."

No new faces will be seen for the weekend's two games, said Keehan, despite admitting he was considering bringing someone in to bolster his attacking line-up (see www.sussexexpress.co.uk for his comments).

Finally, Keehan was delighted with the debut of the reserves in the Pontins Combination League, a 3-1 win against Gillingham Reserves at the Dripping Pan on Wednesday night.

"I'm very pleased, considering we were playing a professional club," he said.

"It will probably be one of the easier games this season – we're playing Reading at the Madejski Stadium next – but it's still very encouraging."