Frustrated Russell: Lewes at crossroads – and one habit is hurting us

Lewes on the front foot at Hastings - but their defending let them down in a 2-1 defeat | Picture: Scott White

The Rooks manager is frustrated at the number of goals he says his team are conceding without making the opposition work for them.

He says it’s a trait they must get over – and he is not afraid to bring in new defensive reinforcement to make sure that happens.

Lewes lost 2-1 at Hastings on Boxing Day and Russell felt it was another game where they’d had enough of the play to warrant at least a point.

The boss says that’s happened too often for his liking – and is why the Rooks enter 2023 in 12th place in the isthmian premier and not higher.

They host Bognor on bank holiday Monday hoping for an upturn in fortunes.

Razz Coleman De-Graft was on target for Lewes at The Pilot Field to make it 1-1 at the break but it was in vain as Gary Elphick’s side edged the derby 2-1 in front of a crowd of 1,677.

Russell said: “Hastings started the game better but we took over and pinned them back and doing plenty of attacking. From nothing we went 1-0 down from their first real threat and it was all us after that for a while.

"At half-time we were disappointed to be only drawing. In the second half they went 2-1 up, again in a spell where we were having most of the play, and despite chances we couldn’t score another.

"We’ve gone there and stopped them playing in a way I shouldn’t think too many teams have this season. And yet we’ve come away with nothing.

"We can’t continue to defend the way we are – teams aren’t working very hard to score against us. It’s been like it all season.

"In every single game we’ve played the stats tell us we’ve had more shots and possession than our opponents, but we’re losing and drawing games.

"We’re looking at our defensive personnel and will bring people in if we can.

"If we can cut this out and go on the sort of run we’re capable of, we’ll be up and around the play-offs.”

Russell expects an open game against Bognor. “We both play the same way and will go after each other. It’ll be about risk and reward. I have a lot of time for Robbie Blake, their manager, and look forward to going up against him.”