Derby day proves intense: Lewes edge the honours against Eastbourne Borough

The Sports and the Rooks produced a thrilling, pounding toe-to-toe contest which had the 2,112 spectators gripped from start to finish. Move after flowing move, chance after chance, scramble after goalmouth scramble.

But only once – on 52 minutes through Noel Fisher’s unstoppable curling strike – did either net bulge. It would prove enough, but only just enough, to earn Lewes three points and local bragging rights.

Rooks manager Craig Nelson has been in post now for a couple of seasons in two spells and has welded together a team with the right blend of experience, energy and self-belief to become serious contenders for honours.

His counterpart Steve King is a little behind that curve in terms of team-building, and he knows there is still work to do. Borough’s performance was tantalising but maddening: they were far from perfect – particularly in their finishing – but far from hopeless. Expectations are sky-high at Priory Lane, including among an eager battalion of supporters, but miracles will take a little longer.

This result was Borough’s third successive defeat, each by a single goal, but their performance was stronger than the disappointing showings against Cray and Brentwood.

As September opens, there are still excellent prospects and hopes. If anything is missing from the squad, it is probably an old-fashioned central striker: somebody needs to add that finish to the team's swift and creative attacking play.

A packed and noisy Dripping Pan, with around 500 Borough supporters among the crowd, created a perfect arena for the gladiatorial contest to come, and within the first minute King's men had earned a dangerous free-kick, cleared by the defence.

A couple of minutes later, Rooks keeper Louis Rogers was caught by Darren McQueen, and the follow-up shot by the impressive Josh Rees was blocked. Then the home side incurred the first of their yellow cards, and Borough were making the running.

An unconvincing Eastbourne penalty appeal was waved away – although the 22-minute mark would see a strong appeal turned down when Sam Oguntayo had his legs taken away.

Lewes had made little impression until the 25th minute, when a right-wing corner set up two successive strikes on Lewis Carey's goal, but both were stoutly blocked.

Kai Corbett and Arthur Grout - the latter back in a Borough shirt pending transfer activity – tormented the right of the Lewes defence, while Oguntayo was still proving a real handful.

Eastbourne still had the edge in pace, but the Rooks were organised and solid. On the verge of half-time, Grout carved himself an opening but Rogers had it safely covered, and then on the stroke of half-time Kai Corbett's 30-yard free-kick was deflected wide.

McQueen's strike was just wide after a move started by the impressive Josh Rees, and then Bender's long throw briefly had the Sports defence scrambing - but then on 52 minutes, the whole game and most of the historic Dripping Pan took wing with a magnificent goal.

A Lewes throw on the left of the Eastbourne area was knocked back out and picked up by Fisher, who took a touch and released a sublime curling strike which found the top far corner of the Borough net with Carey stretching in vain – a goal worthy of settling any game.

This absorbing, pulsating contest simply got better and more urgent, and those margins which divide victory from defeat would only get narrower and more breathless. Step up, Louis Rogers.

Goalkeeping is a crazy profession. Every other player on a football pitch has at least some control over decisions - pass or shoot, run the ball or give-and-go, play long or short. Goalkeepers just have to react to what is thrown at them. In Eastbourne's case, it was the kitchen sink - but Rogers was unafraid and unmoved.

Within three minutes of the goal, Corbett's dipping 25-yard free-kick was brilliantly saved. By the third minute of stoppage time, Rogers' goal was still intact despite waves of Sports pressure. Midway through the half he was equal to a low skimmer from Grout, then on 75 minutes he athletically denied Rees after a quick Borough throw.

The minutes were draining away: legs were tiring in the late August heat, and King was tweaking the shape, with all his ball-players now introduced. But the Rooks were in no mood for raising white flag, and the vocal home crowd were loving it.

The final minutes grew more frantic. Rogers saved point-blank from Rees - who then produced a pounding run through the inside-right channel and struck low past the Lewes keeper but saw his shot rebound off the back post. Corbett's follow-up shot was cleared off the line.

There was just time for a final Borough opening, finished with an off-target strike in front of a gaping Lewes net.