Watts pounces but Rooks fall short

The Weston rearguard was a shambles when the Rooks ran at them; not so the Rocks, with Seagulls's pair Joel Lynch and Tom Elphick at the heart of their defence.

Brighton manager Mark McGhee was present as was former Rooks boss Jimmy Quinn and scouts from seven other clubs. Of particular interest was probably the Rooks's young teenage central defender Leon Legge, who was left out of Saturday's squad against Weston as the physio did not think he was quite ready.

Lewes manager Steve King made five changes from the team that beat Weston 5-2, with Steve Robinson rested, Mo Harkin omitted and Mark Coulson, Owen Price and Paul Kennett relegated to the bench.

Morgaro Gomis, Gavin Holligan and Karl Beckford, second-half substitutes on Saturday, started while Legge and Max Hustwick came into central defence and Djoumin Sangare moved to left-back.

Watched by a crowd of 612, Lewes could have scored in the opening 30 seconds. Slick play between Dean Hooper and Holligan set up Jean-Michel Sigere and his powerful shot was deflected for a corner.

Sangare had the freedom to run at the Regis defence on the left and one such break in the tenth minute saw him shoot disappointingly into the side-netting, while Sigere fired into the net from Hooper's cross but was ruled offside. King was unhappy that chances went begging and pointed out that apart from their goal Bognor created little, but they did go ahead in the 19th minute when Hustwick was robbed by Ben Watson as he dallied on the ball. Watson advanced on goal and gave Wilkerson no chance.

Four minutes later Sangare saw a header cleared off the line from Watts's corner while Beckford and Legge were both over before Lewes equalised a minute before the break. My man-of-the-match Watts, who stretched Bognor all evening with his pace and often crossed well, sidefooted home powerfully after a fine low cross by Amos Foyewa eluded the Bognor rearguard.

The standard fell after the break as the play became scrappy. Watson was horribly wide with two reasonable chances while Sigere wasted a headed opportunity when well placed. On 82 minutes Watts was desperately unlucky when he raced through to see his first shot blocked. The ball rebounded to him and his powerful shot cracked against the crossbar. At the other end Luke Nightingale was clean through though suspiciously offside from a great ball over the top but hesitated and Legge produced a fine saving tackle.

Now Lewes face up to tomorrow's FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie at Cambridge City which is worth 10,000 to the victor.

The winners progress to the first round proper on Saturday, November 5, and a possible draw with a league club in a round that is worth 16,000 to the victorious team.

The first-round draw will be made tomorrow at 5.10pm and will be broadcast live on BBC1 and Sky Sports News. The Cambridge City v Lewes tie will be ball No.74.

Defender Hooper, captain in Kennett's absence on Wednesday, will be suspended for the Cambridge game.

Lewes: Wilkerson, Hooper (Lovett), Sangare, Legge, Hustwick, Gomis, Foyewa, Beckford, Sigere, Holligan (Bradley), Watts. Unused subs: Price, Coulson, Kennett.