Lewes boss: I'm not interested in result - but win at Peacehaven gave us small victories

Some of the past and present Lewes youth players who turned out for the first team

Lewes have shown in their opening friendly how much faith they are putting in youth – but boss Hugo Langton has warned: We have to get the balance right.

The Rooks kicked off their pre-season friendlies at Peacehaven on Saturday and were proud to field 11 players who are either in the club’s youth set-up at present or have been in the past.

Langton has already promoted four of last year’s under-18s to the first-team squad – two of whom were instrumental in the goals that saw Peacehaven beaten 2-1 – and says there are numerous other young players at the club he thinks will push for opportunities when the Isthmian League gets under way.

Lewes have had a setback, too, losing Tom Day and Charlie Coppola to divisional rivals Horsham.

Langton said: “It was a great day at Peacehaven with lots of small victories.

“I’m not interested in the scoreline but what I am interested in is that we played a very youthful team in the first half, and a more experienced one second half, and they did very well.

“We had 11 who are or have been with the club’s youth pathway – and we also got 23 minutes each out of Gary Noel and Luke Blewden, as they come back from injury and retirement respectively.

“The young players were brilliant and that’s testament to the coaching and recruitment Dale Hurley has done with our under-18s.

“In the past Lewes have had good under-18s who have had to go elsewhere for opportunities. I want them to get those here. We have toget the balance right – I am not going to just throw them all in. But chances will come.”

Two of the promoted under-18s, Brad Santos and Aaron Cosgrave, were involved in Saturday’s goals.

Langton was disappointed to lose Day and Coppola, and said the former, a defender, had turned down an improved Lewes contract to take up an even better one at Horsham.

As Langton welcomes Hampshire outfit AFC Portchester tomorrow, he is negotiating with a defender, a midfielder and an attacker he says will give the squad a big boost if they sign.