Late push can’t save Lewes as Dartford win on fiery night at the Pan
A late Lewes push wasn’t quite enough as they fell to a 2-1 Bonfire week defeat to Dartford.
In a clash of two high-flying teams in the Isthmian Premier Division table, a swift first-half double from Dartford proved decisive at The Dripping Pan.
Ben Greenhalgh’s powerful strike and Dan Smith’s opportune rebound punished two moments of Lewes disorganisation before the half hour. While the Rooks responded well, they struggled to break down a stubborn Darts backline and had to wait until the 82nd minute for a scorching Brian Garzon goal.
Despite pouring everyone forward late on, this left too little time to secure an all-important equaliser.
Lewes began the evening with three changes to their starting XI, with Ben Mundele, Tyler Christian-Law and Danny Bassett returning in place of Tyler Cox, Kurtis Cumberbatch and Bobby Unwin.
After a spectacular entrance featuring Southover Bonfire Society’s torches and fireworks, the game itself proved more of a slow burner.
Both teams used the opening stages to feel one another out, and the first chance came after almost 15 minutes, when an unmarked Charlie Walker headed Danny Bassett’s delivery over the bar. Lewes then lost defender Harry Mills to an awkward injury, forcing them into a reshuffle as Olly Hamstead came on.
Just a minute later, Dartford seized upon this as player-manager Greenhalgh found space on the edge of the box for a sharp left-footed strike into the top left corner. The Rooks were almost immediately level when Mundele connected with Christian-Law in the box, but the midfielder couldn’t get a clean connection on his effort.
Heading back up the other end, Dartford then doubled their advantage as an initial shot was saved by Louis Rogers and the Lewes defence was too slow to react as Smith drilled home. The Rooks stabilised and began to gather some momentum before half-time.
Their best chance came as Ryan Gondoh drove forward and found Charlie Walker, who in turn located Garzon for a powerful drive stopped by defender Ben Swift. After what was surely a frank discussion at the break, Lewes returned with much more of the ball in the second half.
Dartford proved a tough nut to crack, with their fluid system quick to close down any gaps and continuing to threaten on the counter. Charlie Walker won a free-kick 20 yards from goal in the 55th minute but sent the set piece over the crossbar.
This spell proved Lewes needed a change of system, and with Tyler Cox replacing Mundele, the Rooks soon moved to a back three. It did the trick of freeing up Cox and Jack Enkh, who posed regular problems for the visiting defence.
With Bassett and Walker also taken off, the Rooks opted for a system featuring multiple runners but no clear central target. Chances started to flow at both ends, with Enkh crashing a shot into the side-netting, Garzon having an effort saved by Ryan Sandford and Hamstead clearing the danger at the other end as Max Fiddes went clean through.
Gondoh was then foiled by Sandford as his shot took a deflection off George Whitefield.
In the 82nd minute, Lewes found their breakthrough as Gondoh drove down the right and found Garzon on the edge of the box, where he fizzed a low shot past Sandford. The Rooks pushed hard in the remaining minutes, but Dartford dropped deep and closed off any angles towards goal.
The best remaining chance fell to Tyrese Owen in an added-time pinball in the box, as his audacious backheel was hooked away. Lewes therefore tasted defeat at home for just the second time this season, while a five-match unbeaten run in October came to an end.
The Rooks are 4th in the table after 15 games and now head to 12th-placed Dulwich Hamlet this weekend. Kick-off is 3pm at Champion Hill on Saturday.
Lewes FC: Rogers; Mundele (Cox, 63’), Mills (Hamstead, 21’), Spinks, Enkh; Christian-Law, Owen; Gondoh, Garzon, Bassett (Fisher, 70’); Walker (Unwin, 72’)
Unused: Richardson