Return to Dripping Pan gives Lewes chance to get back in play-off race

A 5-0 loss in Essex was followed by further frustration when Tuesday’s home Sussex derby with Horsham was called off because of storm damage at the Dripping Pan.

But Tony Russell’s team have the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways when they host Margate tomorrow and Carshalton on Tuesday. Wins will get the ninth-placed Rooks back in the thick of the play-off race.

Meanwhile Russell has told how he thinks Deon Moore’s switch last week to League Two Sutton is good for Lewes – as well as for Moore.

Moore is the latest in a line of Rooks stars to move to full-time clubs and Russell told the club website: "It’s a fantastic opportunity.

"I know some fans will be frustrated that we’ve lost another one of our better players but you’ve got to look at it that everyone wins. He’s the fifth player in the past two-and-a-half seasons that’s gone full-time.

"Young players come to us who’ve lost their way. Fans get to see how these players are when they come to us and how they are at the end – they see their journey, they see them develop, going from ‘who’s this guy?’ to singing their name.

"It’s great for us as staff to be part of that and great for fans. They see good young players come in when they’ve lost their way, we polish them up and they see the end result.

“We’re going on towards £100,000 of players we’ve sold in the past two-and-a-half years – that’s hugely beneficial to the club.”