11 cup finals - Nelson asks Lewes for big run-in performances
Lewes manager Craig Nelson says his side need to approach their remaining matches as “11 cup finals” after another challenging week.
Having only won two matches and scored four goals in their first seven games of 2026, the Rooks continued a miserable run with a 0-0 stalemate at Cheshunt and a 3-1 defeat at Whitehawk.
These results saw Lewes slip to 15th in the Isthmian Premier Division table, with their hopes of making the play-offs almost extinguished by a current 13-point gap.
Instead, with ten points separating them from the relegation zone, they are looking over their shoulders at this Saturday’s opponents, 19th-placed Cray Valley Paper Mills.
“As a management team, we believe the tide will turn,” said Nelson. “We've got 11 games left, and we need to make them 11 cup finals. From a pride perspective, [we need to] forget where we might finish, forget points on the line.
“If we go out and do what we've done in our recent form, we won't beat many of the last 11. But if we go back before then - three on the spin at home and one or two away in between - that's how you build momentum.”
On Tuesday night, Lewes were attempting to build momentum from the weekend prior.
Despite going ahead after four minutes, the Rooks quickly faded and struggled to break down ten-man Whitehawk in a painful second half.
Nelson said: “They defended their box really well. We need to move the ball quicker to be able to create that extra yard of space. When we get into those areas, the quality needs to be there. We flashed a few across the box that we nearly get on the end of, but we've got to up the quality in those areas to be able to score a goal.”
Goalscoring is Lewes’ clear issue at present, with only six goals in their last ten matches.
Fortunately, both Charlie Walker and Danny Bassett returned with second-half cameos in the past week, bolstering Nelson’s options.
The Lewes boss will need everyone firing this Saturday, with visitors Cray Valley PM without a win in their last ten games.
“They've got players there that can pose a threat, just like every other team in this league,” said Nelson. “We're not looking at a relegation battle at the moment, but it doesn't mean that within three games, we couldn't be within that zone depending on where everyone else is.”