King not scared of The Terras

But Lewes manager Steve King is quietly confident of ending that run.

King said: 'I'll be telling my players Weymouth will be nine points clear of us if they win and have a game in hand, but if we win the gap will only be three points.

'They haven't pulverised anybody in their winning run and I think we're a match for them.'

Full-time professionals The Terras are now 8-15 to win the league against the 16-1 available for the Rooks, but they are not prolific goalscorers with just 29 goals scored in 16 league matches and 14 conceded.

The club's leading league scorer is former Coventry, Bournemouth and Havant player Chukki Eribenne with seven, but he was only substitute against Weston with Craig O'Connor and Kirk Jackson playing up front.

Amos Foyewa (hamstring) and Kirk Watts (ankle) are still missing for Lewes.

KING was 'just pleased' that the Rooks won through Tuesday's Sussex Senior Cup third-round tie with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Wick.

King said: 'It was their cup final and all credit to Wick, they did themselves proud.

'Their manager said to me they didn't want to let themselves down and their players worked their socks off but they never really hurt us.

'We tried to pass the ball but the pitch wasn't too good and it was hard to string anything together with many passes going astray, but at the end of the day it's all about winning these games.

'I thought our new man Manny Omoyimni was neat and tidy on a difficult surface. We took him off with half an hour to go and young Ryan Bradley came on to score the winning goal.'

King rested Paul Wilkerson, Dean Hooper, Karl Beckford and Steve Robinson, with work experience signing Mark Wright coming in at full back.

Omoyimni, who played with Jean-Michel Sigere at both Margate and Gravesend, joined the Rooks's prolific hitman up front.

At the interval King brought on Terry Parker '“ a player he is 'looking at' '“ for Mo Harkin.

Wick goalkeeper Tom Rand made fine saves from Paul Kennett and Morgaro Gomes before the break while Wick went closest when Kane Evans's lob went over deputy Lewes goalkeeper Aaron France but dropped just wide.

On 85 minutes Rand pushed out Sigere's header but in the goalmouth scramble the sharp Bradley nipped in to crack the ball home. Wick's Pete Christodoulou then saw a powerful header cleared off the line.

Lewes: France, Lovett, Hustwick, Sangere, Wright, Harkin (Parker), Kennett, Brennan, Gomes, Sigere, Omoyimni (Bradley).

Supporters Club chairman Cliff Hart is appealing for all true Rooks fans to come to the supporters's match against manager Steve King's team at The Dripping Pan on Sunday, 2pm kick-off.

Hart said: 'If Lewes fans want the new stand we have got to support these fund-raising ventures.

'The supporters who are playing are each paying 100 for the privilege and I hope to have a squad of 17. There are also sponsors for the goals we score.

'Hopefully the weather will be kind and we have a good afternoon's entertainment.'

More details in Dripping Pan News on page 70