Images from Lewes' home 5-1 loss to Potters Bar / Picture: Angela BrinkhurstImages from Lewes' home 5-1 loss to Potters Bar / Picture: Angela Brinkhurst
Images from Lewes' home 5-1 loss to Potters Bar / Picture: Angela Brinkhurst

Lewes beaten by Potters Bar - picture gallery

A disappointing first half which ten-man Lewes never fully recovered from saw the Rooks slump to a second consecutive home defeat after a 5-1 loss to Potters Bar Town, reports Tom Harper.

Tony Russell made one change to the side that drew 1-1 at Wingate & Finchley in their previous game, with Joe Taylor replacing Freddie Parker in the starting line-up. Lewes got off to the worst possible start, falling behind after only seven minutes, as a Luke Joyce-Dwarika cross from the left evaded everybody on its way in off the inside of the far post. Check out match pictures by Angela Brinkhurst, on this page and the ones linked.

The Rooks could have equalised almost immediately, but saw Taylor Maloney blaze an effort over the crossbar after patient build-up play down the left. Lewes were unable to gain a foothold in the game but still looked capable of causing problems, with Iffy Allen seeing a strike deflected wide by Kieron Cathline after latching onto a misplaced pass.

The visitors doubled their lead on 27 minutes, as a short corner was well worked to Joyce-Dwarika, who sent a superb curling finish from the edge of the area into the top corner. It was 3-0 three minutes before the break, Samson Esan finishing into the roof of the net at the end of an incisive counter-attack.

Lewes pulled a goal back inside the first minute of the second half, with Tom Carlse going on a purposeful run down the left before squaring the ball for Maloney to finish into the bottom corner. Potters Bar could have been forgiven for sitting in and inviting pressure at this stage, but they managed the game well and continued to look comfortable on the ball, restricting Lewes to hopeful attempts on goal.

The Rooks were dealt a further blow midway through the second half, as Ollie Tanner was shown a straight red card for kicking out after being hauled to the floor by a Potters Bar defender. The visitors made the most of their numerical advantage by making it 4-1 on 80 minutes through Esan, who sent a powerful strike across Carey and into the bottom corner after the ball had been worked to him on the right-hand side of the area.

Potters Bar scored a fifth to complete the scoring just three minutes later, as another impressive move ended with Joseph Boachie curling a strike into the top corner from just inside the area. Lewes will hope to put this result behind them when they visit Bowers & Pitsea next Saturday.

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