Crystal Palace edge out Lewes as Rooks search in vain for second win of the season

The Rooks struck first through a coolly taken Sarah Brasero-Carreira finish before Shanade Hopcroft brilliantly levelled from outside the box.

Lexi Potter and Molly-Mae Sharpe established a cushion for Palace after the break to condemn Lewes to their eighth loss in 10 games despite Reanna Blades pulling one back in injury time.

Palace were backed by a raucous home support but Lewes were quicker to settle and found the net in the 16th minute, Anna Grey’s incisive ball across the face of goal finding the waiting Brasero-Carreira to slot home.

The Eagles soon began to dominate possession and found their reward just before the half-hour mark when Hopcroft smashed in the rebound after her free-kick came back off the wall.

Lewes continued to look slick on the counter-attack and almost re-took the lead but Grey’s curling effort was smartly saved by Demi Lambourne on the stroke of half-time.

There were few clean-cut chances in the second period until Potter buried a sweetly-struck effort to give Palace the lead for the first time in the 70th minute.

Sharpe then blasted home from a fine cross from substitute Araya Dennis 10 minutes later for Palace’s third meaning Blade’s scrappy finish was nothing more than a consolation for Lewes.

The result keeps the Rooks bottom of the division, while Palace emerged with their unbeaten home record intact.

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