King takes it all in his stride

Conference SouthDorchester 2 Lewes 2Lewes manager Steve King was in jocular mood on Wednesday morning even though he had ruined a £150 pair of trousers at rainswept Dorchester the previous evening.

King said: 'It was the worst conditions I've seen since I've been involved in football and my woollen trousers shrank.

'Everybody was falling about laughing as the wetter they got the further they went up my legs.'

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King was not laughing, though, as the Rooks went two down in the opening 23 minutes against the Magpies but says that there is such character in the team now that he fears no-one in this league.

King went on: 'We've only lost once in 11 games and in this division you'll do well if you win at home and take a point away.

'That's our target, and we battered Dorchester in the second half.

'They scored their first goal from a corner when the ball had bent out of play and came back in again and we might have done better with the second.

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'The twenty or so Rooks's supporters there saw us play some fantastic football and I thank them for making such a difficult journey.

'We had loads of chances in the second half though I wouldn't say there were any bad misses.

'Believe me, this team is coming together. They have the spirit to battle and the togetherness is there. Dean Brennan has given us something extra. He scored 15 goals from midfield for Grays last season and has brilliant movement.

'I ask the fans to trust me, I'll only bring in players who will improve the side.'

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Lewes lost Djoumin Sangare with a leg problem after only 12 minutes and two minutes later had gone a goal down when Alex Browne headed home from a corner.

Nine minutes later Justin Keeler grabbed the second as he got in between Steve Robinson and goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson. Ryan Moss then hit a Lewes post with a 20-yarder with Wilkerson struggling.

It was a different story after the break as Lewes, playing into the teeth of the gale, poured forward and Brennan scored on 49 minutes heading home Kirk Watts's cross.

The Magpies's goalkeeper Nick Jones denied Jean-Michel Sigere, who also saw an effort cleared from the line, before Brennan got his second with 11 minutes left, bundling the ball home after Jones had dropped a Watts cross.

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Lewes: Wilkerson, Lovett, Sangare (Harkin), Legge, Robinson, Brennan, Kennett (Beckford), Holligan (Farrell), Watts, Foyewa, Sigere. Unused subs: Price, Beckford.

The Rooks continue on their travels when they visit Bishops Stortford tomorrow and go to Sutton United on Tuesday.

Bishops Stortford started the season shakily at home but have since gained two wins and two draws at Woodside Park and will be difficult to break down having conceded only 15 goals so far.

They have only scored 15 goals as well with five-goal captain David Rainford the man to watch.

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Sutton United were the early pacesetters in the division and have won five of their six league matches at Gander Green Lane this season.

They have popped in 23 league goals this season with former Rook Luke Cornwall proving a big hit along with Danny Ekoku and Eddie Akuamoah.