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Welcome to The Dripping Pan for our BetVictor Isthmian Premier League game with Leatherhead. Here is your complimentary matchday programme, which we call the Progcast.

In today’s issue:

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LIVE MATCH UPDATES

You can get full updates from today’s game, including team line-ups, goals and substitutons, in the panel below. It will automatically update throughout the game. Data supplied by FootballWebPages.

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ROSS ON THE RECORD

Hear co-manager Ross Standen’s thoughts on today’s game:

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CHAIRMAN’S NOTES

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to the Dripping Pan for this afternoon’s game against our friends from Leatherhead for what will be our fourth meeting of the season so far (there’s still the potential of a League Cup meeting!).  I’d like to welcome the fans, players, management and officials this afternoon and wish them a safe, relatively short journey home.

Firstly, I’d like to say thank you to you all for the part you played last week in the draw here against league leaders Folkestone Invicta. I asked in my notes last week for a ramp up in the atmosphere and that’s exactly what we got. I know that the team really noticed and appreciated that. So, more of the same today please!

I thought it was one of our best performances of the season and we certainly could have grabbed all three points – that is a measure of progress when we come off the field disappointed that we have not beaten the league leaders.

On Wednesday night we beat a strong Chichester City side in the Sussex Senior Cup thanks to a last-minute goal from Kane Diedrick-Roberts. We put out an “experimental” team which included a debut for our new signing Emmanuel Yeboah and the return of Ross Barclay from East Grinstead Town. We also gave Billy a first start, taking the opportunity to rest both Dayshonne and Leon. It was also great to see Harry returning to the squad after six months out with his knee injury. Slowly but surely our injury list is reducing (famous last words!).

Next Wednesday we face Sevenoaks Town here in the Isthmian League Cup. I know a few people have asked why we have entered the competition this year when in previous seasons we haven’t. This season it was mandatory for every team to enter – in previous seasons we would have started in the competition earlier but the format changed with a group-based first round featuring the Step 4 clubs and Step 3 clubs like us entering at the knockout stages. Whilst it is not ideal timing, it will give us the opportunity to give the likes of Billy and Harry some game time.

January is already shaping up to be a busy month for us. We already have rescheduled games pencilled in and we will more than likely have the Sussex Senior Cup in the first week too – if we progress in the League Cup we could end up with a midweek game each week in the month. Stay tuned to Twitter and the Website for details on any fixture changes.

Last week our Under-18s beat Whitehawk in the Sussex Youth Cup to progress to the quarter-finals where we will travel to Uckfield Grasshoppers or Worthing United in the New Year. We also learned this week that Max Blencowe and Brad Santos have been selected for the England Schools squad and that James Beresford is going on trial at Colchester United. Huge congratulations and best wishes from the club and also a doffed cap to the fabulous work Dale Hurley and his coaching team are doing. 

This is certainly our last Saturday game before Christmas so I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Christmas and thank you again for all of your support in what has been a testing year on and off the pitch. We do, of course, have the small matter of the “local” derby against Bognor Regis Town here on Boxing Day so I hope we can get a bumper crowd for that.

Come on you Rooks!

Stuart

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RECENT MATCH REVIEW

Lewes 0 vs Folkestone Invicta 0, BetVictor Isthmian Premier League, 30th November 2019

It was one of the more entertaining 0-0 draws you’ll see, as the Rooks held league leaders Folkestone Invicta to a goalless draw. You can see the match highlights from Your Instant Replay below:

And watch Ross Standen’s post-match interview here:

Chichester City 2 vs Lewes 3, Parafix Sussex Senior Cup, 4th December 2019

Just days after our opponents battled it out in the Second Round of the FA Cup, we paid a visit to chilly Chichester to take them on in the Sussex Senior Cup. A last-minute winner from Kayne Diedrick-Roberts put us in the hat for the quarter-finals. Watch the highlights from Your Instant Replay here:

And here’s Ross’s verdict on the game:

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THE INSTA MASTER

We are incredibly fortunate to have several great photographers working with us here at Lewes FC. Alongside the brilliant match photographers James Boyes and Angela Brinkhurst, we have the superb eye of Jon Barmby giving us an alternative view of the action on our Instagram account.

Jon is an exceptionally talented photographer with a unique style, whose work has been published in football magazines such as Mundial and others.

We asked Jon to pick a selection of his favourite Rooks photos, which you can see in the gallery below.

Follow our Instagram account if you want to see more of Jon’s fine work.

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TODAY’S OPPONENTS: LEATHERHEAD

The modern Leatherhead Football Club was formed by the merger of Leatherhead Rose and Leatherhead United in 1946, moving into United’s Fetcham Grove ground – their current home – and joining the Surrey Senior League.

Leatherhead won the Surrey Senior League four times in a row, joined the Metropolitan and District League in 1950, and were founder members of the Delphian League in 1951. After seven seasons they moved on to the Corinthian League, and were its last champions in 1963 before joining the expanded Athenian League. They won Division One in their first season to gain promotion to the Premier Division and inaugurated their floodlights in a match against Fulham (who fielded a side that included George Cohen, Alan Mullery, Bobby Robson and Johnny Haynes). Leatherhead joined the Isthmian League in 1972.

In the 1974-5 season Leatherhead enjoyed a famous FA Cup run, dispatching Colchester United 1-0 in round two, while ‘Leatherhead Lip’ Chris Kelly’s goal defeated Peter Taylor’s Brighton and Hove Albion at the Goldstone Ground in round three. Leatherhead conceded home advantage to Leicester City in round four, and led 2-0 before bowing out 2-3. In subsequent years Leatherhead enjoyed further cup success against Football League opposition, beating both Ron Atkinson’s Cambridge United and Northampton Town at the Grove. In 1978, Leatherhead reached the final of the FA Trophy, losing 1-3 to Altrincham at Wembley.

In the League Leatherhead suffered relegation in 1983 and 1990, climbing back to Division One in 1997 only to be relegated again in 2001. A year later league reorganisation placed them in Division One South. Mick Sullivan led them to a fifth-place finish in 2010, suffering play-off defeat but winning the Isthmian League Cup. A year later Leatherhead beat Dulwich Hamlet 4-3 in a play-off final that went to extra-time, gaining promotion to the Premier Division for the first time since 1983, but were relegated again the following season.

A third-place finish in 2014 and play-off success against Guernsey and Folkestone Invicta – the final decided on penalties – saw Leatherhead return to the Premier Division. Jimmy Bullard was briefly manager during the 2016-17 season, to be replaced the following season season by Sammy Moore who took Leatherhead to their highest placing in recent years, just missing out on a play-off spot on goal difference. He moved on to Concord Rangers in the summer of 2018 and was succeeded by Nikki Bull.

Last season Leatherhead finished eighth. After a poor start to this season – including a 4-1 defeat to us at the end of August – Leatherhead have improved markedly, winning five straight league games before a 0-3 defeat to East Thurrock in their last league outing. They are currently 14th in the table, two places above us.

MEET THE SQUAD

Nikki Bull – Player/Manager

Leatherhead turned to the experienced former Aldershot Town goalkeeper to lead them as their new player/manager in the summer of 2018. Nikki made nearly 400 appearances in total for Aldershot and then Wycombe Wanderers before dropping into non-league football with Margate, where he also had a spell as manager during their stay in the National League South.

Zaki Oualah – Goalkeeper

Zaki is now in his second spell at the club. He signed in May 2017 and was a vital part of the Tanners squad that reached the 2nd Round of the FA Cup and re-signed in September 2018 after spells with Aldershot Town, Hayes & Yeading and Hendon. His previous clubs include Merstham, Godalming, Met Police, Aylesbury and Farnborough.

Misha Djemaili– Defender/Midfielder

Versatile young player equally at home at full-back or in midfield who was a member of the Essex County Schools side that won the English Schools Football Association Under 18 County Trophy in 2017. He started last season at Tilbury but was playing with Essex Senior League Leyton Athletic prior to joining the Tanners in February 2019 and impressed everyone with his assured performances.

Callum Driver – Defender

A 26-year-old right-back, Callum came through the ranks at West Ham Utd and made his professional debut while on loan at Burton Albion. His debut for the Hammers was an FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest in 2014. After being released by the Hammers he had a short spell at Whitehawk before signing for Dartford. He joined Maidstone in May 2015 and helped the club achieve promotion to the National League. He also played at Hemel Hempstead and Welling Utd before signing for the Tanners in September.

Marco Figuero-Correia – Forward

Marco is a young attacker who joined Burgess Hill Town from Woking’s Academy last season. He established himself in the first team before a lengthy injury lay-off stalled his progress. He signed for the Tanners in October 2019.

Travis Gregory – Midfielder

Travis is a skilful winger who started his career with the academies of Chelsea and Glasgow Rangers. He signed from Greenwich Borough in June 2018 and is a firm favourite with the supporters for his wing wizardry. He has also played for East Grinstead Town and Beckenham Town.

Charlie Hester-Cook – Midfielder

Charlie played for the Tanners for the second half of last season on dual registration forms from Woking. He quickly became a fans favourite for his combative displays in the middle of the park. He signed permanently for the Tanners in the summer.

Ezra Ikebuasi – Midfielder

The young midfielder signed from Burgess Hill in October 2018. Ezra previously played in Ireland, and for Sutton Utd’s Academy sides. He made his full debut here at the Pan in September.

Crossley Lema – Defender

Crossley graduated at full-back through the Sutton Utd Academy side was a member of the National League squad for the past two seasons. He had a successful loan spell elsewhere before signing permanently for the Tanners in November.

Finlay Macnab – Midfielder

Finn is a young midfielder who recently signed his first professional contract with AFC Wimbledon and joined the Tanners on loan in September.

Simin Mensah – Midfielder

Sim is an intelligent box-to-box midfielder who started his career with Carshalton Athletic. Subsequently he had spells in the National League South with Dartford, and Wealdstone. He has also played for Chipstead, Whyteleafe and Merstham.

Lyes Mezine – Defender

French born Lyes is a 20-year old defender signed in October. He previously played for Real Monarchs SLC and Woking.

Jerry Nnamani – Defender

Formally of Bromley, Crystal Palace, and Sittingbourne, Jerry is already a club legend having made over 350 appearances since signing for the Tanners in 2011. He is solid at the back and good in the air, and hugely popular with the Tanners fans.

Ibrahim Olutade – Forward

Ibrahim is a young striker who signed for the Tanners last October from Hanwell Town. He scored 13 goals before signing for Maidstone Utd in the summer and returned on loan in September.

Will Salmon– Defender

Centre-half and club captain, Will, began his career with Aldershot Town before moving to AFC Wimbledon and then Ebbsfleet United in the Conference in 2009. He switched to AFC Telford and was part of their Conference North promotion-winning side going on to make over 80 appearances before moving to Bath City in the summer of 2013. He had a short spell at Woking before spending four years at Met Police. He signed for Tanners in May 2018.

Will Seager – Defender/Midfielder

 Will is in his third season at the club having originally played for the Tanners Academy side and is equally at home playing at full-back or in midfield.

Joe Tennent – Defender

Joe joined the Tanners in October 2019, a 21-year old centre-half who was released by Colchester Utd in 2016. Prior to Leatherhead, he had spells with Grays Athletic, Soham Town Rangers, Glebe, East Grinstead, and Three Bridges.  

Tommy Wood –  Forward

Tommy progressed through the youth set-ups at Wycombe Wanderers and Reading, and in 2015 joined Burnley, where he was named Youth Team Player of the Year and moved up to play for the development squad. He signed for Wimbledon in July 2018 and made a first-team debut in September 2018 against Swansea City in the EFL Trophy. He signed on a three-month’s loan in September.

Charlie Dawkins – Midfielder

Charlie is a former member of the Chelsea Academy. In 2017 he signed for Aldershot as a 15-year-old. The attacking box-to-box midfielder signed for the Tanners in the summer.

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Lewes Men's squad photo 19-20

The Supporters Club are once again selling player and management sponsorship to raise money for the club. Grab your player before your favourite goes!

Costs are as follows: Home Kit – ÂŁ75. Away Kit – ÂŁ75. Training Kit – ÂŁ25. Boots ÂŁ25.

Contact: david.arnold@me.com or see David or Barbara on match days.

Thanks to the following sponsors who’ve signed up so far!

NATHAN STROOMBERG-CLARKE

HOME: THE SOUL STEPPERS

JORDY MONGOY

HOME: SAM & JOE BARKER

TOM DAY

HOME: STUART ELMER

FRANKIE CHAPPELL

HOME: SUSIE ARLETT

JAMES HAMMOND

HOME: STUART FULLER

AWAY: STUART FULLER

MICHAEL DOME-BEMWIN

HOME:  TONY HARMAN &YEOVIL JOHN

AWAY: YEOVIL JOHN & TONY HARMAN

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STODGEBUSTERS ON TOUR

Our diet-dodgers head to Bishop’s Stortford for another winning away-day

After the acute disappointment at Kingstonian the previous week we had a chance to get back to winning ways at Bishop’s Stortford. They weren’t doing great in the league either so we were quite hopeful of maybe getting a decent result. The hot news was that we had signed a striker. Billy Medlock was back at the club. Hooray! We liked Billy when he was with us before. He scored goals.

Malcolm had wimped out of this one due to work commitments, so PJ drove Gary the Badge to Roly’s Polegate mansion and parked up. Turnstile Alan would join us as he was very kindly driving us to the game again. Good job too, as the station is a long way from the football ground and right beside the M11. That is probably why we have never done Bishop’s Stortford by train.

It’s always a bit tricky trying to judge what time to leave when going via the Dartford tunnel. Some days it’s a breeze. Other days it’s a nightmare. We don’t like arriving two hours before kick-off and we certainly don’t like being late and miss any of the action like we did at Chalfont St Peter a few years ago. We arrived there at 3.03pm due to some M25 carnage and heard the cheers of a Lewes goal as we approached the turnstile. We had missed the only goal of the game.

Anyway, 11am was the agreed departure time and it was a splendidly trouble-free and scenic journey via Crowborough and Tunbridge Wells. We reminisced about the evening game at Stortford many years ago in Conference South when Lewes were on fire and trounced them 5-1.  The journey was so trouble free we got to Bishops Stortford well before 1pm. Plenty of time to find the cafe.

The Bridge Cafe was our target. This meant joining the Saturday shoppers in the town centre and parking in the huge shopping mall car park. Usually Stodgebusters and shopping centres don’t go together on Saturdays, but there weren’t many other options.

However, getting out of the place on foot was rather similar to that Father Ted episode where eight priests couldn’t find their way out of Ireland’s biggest lingerie department. We managed it eventually and found ourselves outside and completely the wrong side of the building. Gary was getting hungry as he hadn’t eaten anything for nearly a couple of hours and suggested a higher class looking restaurant across the road. One look at the prices and fayre on offer meant he was quickly outvoted and we started the walk around the outside of the shopping centre to find the Bridge Cafe.

The Bridge Cafe is much more Stodgebuster territory. We were there for the corresponding fixture last season and it was very good. None of us were brave enough to take on the Mission Impossible. That consisted of two eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato, chips, beans, black pudding, burger, fried bread, mushrooms, hash browns and onion rings. A nice little plateful for ÂŁ12 with tea thrown in.

There were four very different meals ordered up. Roast beef and veg, steak and kidney pie and veg, egg and chips and a full English. We were so early we had time for a second cuppa and a chat about the game. A draw seemed the most popular choice of outcome.

Bishop’s Stortford is one of the best grounds to visit in this league. If not the best. It has a huge car park and a very large bar area. It’s pretty good for watching a game too with decent cover on all four sides.

Lewes started well and were ahead in the seventh minute. A typical Dayshonne run down the right and in came a cross. It was only cleared as far as Michael DB who thumped it… wide. Fortunately the Stortford number 3 got in the way and the ball took a wicked deflection and crept inside the opposite post with the keeper completely wrong footed. It was about time we had some luck.

Stortford were seeing plenty of the ball but couldn’t seem to do much with it. Frankie and Alex remained strong in the centre of the defence and we did look dangerous on the occasions when we got forward.

The second half continued in the same vein although Kane Diedrick-Roberts should have done a bit better when clean through, but he blasted the ball over the bar. Several crosses were fired into the Lewes box but the defence held firm. Lewes got a second in the 72nd minute when another superb run from Dayshonne resulted in a lovely cross from the right which was powerfully headed home by a totally unmarked Stefan, giving the keeper no chance. It was a lovely finish. Two-nil! There were huge sighs of relief from behind the goal. We had some breathing space.

The referee had been a bit erratic all afternoon and with ten minutes to play he awarded the home side a penalty for a Tom Day challenge in the box. It looked a very soft penalty. (It looks even softer in the video highlights). Here we go we thought. If this goes in then the last ten minutes will be like the Alamo.

The penalty kick was like all their finishing though… dreadful. It was just sidefooted, nowhere near hard enough and was comfortably saved by Nathan diving down to his right. That was enough for some home fans and they headed for the exit. We could see them sneaking out.

Before they could restart there was some confusion with the referee summoning his linesmen. Was he going to order a retake?  What’s going on? The referee had picked up an injury and could no longer continue. After a ten-minute delay, during which time the Stortford fans had repeatedly called for an abandonment (mind you, so would we have done if we had been 2-0 down), the Stortford Chairman found some kit and took over from one of the linesmen.

He was jokingly booed for every decision he gave against Lewes. New signing Billy had been on the bench and he got brought on, to rapturous applause, for the last couple of minutes. One of his first touches of the ball wasn’t great though and someone hilariously shouted “get rid of him”.  Don’t you just love non-league football banter?

It’s always a pleasant journey home when you win and the Strictly fans were pleased to be home in time. PJ was just pleased he still had four wheels and his car wasn’t on bricks.

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CREDITS AND LEGAL

“The Isthmian Football League strongly supports the FA statement that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination. Accordingly any form of discriminatory abuse whether it by reason of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion and belief, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sex and sexual orientation or any other form of abuse will be reported to The Football Association for action by that Association.” (The FA 0800 085 0508 / Kick it Out 020 7253 0162).The Isthmian League and all Member Clubs in the League are committed to promoting equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and providing access and opportunities for all members of the community.”

Lewes 2000 FC Limited. Registered in England and Wales with Company Registration Number 03790979. Lewes 2000 FC Limited is 100% owned by Lewes Community Football Club.

Honorary President Terry Parris
Chairman Stuart Fuller
Directors Ed Briggs, Charlie Dobres, Karen Dobres, Stuart Fuller, Steve Keegan, Galia Orme, John Peel, Ed Ramsden, Roger Warner, Trevor Wells
Club Secretary John Peel
Match Secretary David Evans
Youth Secretary Kevin Brook
Operations Manager Warren Lane

Equality FC Campaign Manager Karen Dobres

Life Members
Mr and Mrs Brook, Vic Blunt, Pat Dartnell, Gary Elphick, Gordon Fowlie, Peter Hiscox RIP, Billy Nixon, Derrick Parris, Terry Parris, Jimmy Quinn, P. Swaysland, Steve Ibbitson, Jason Hopkinson, Steve White, Martin Elliot, Kevin Fingerneissl, Kevin Powell, David and Barbara Arnold, Roger and Cathy Feltham, Ethel Treagus, Roy Dartnell RIP, Ron Moore, Derek Southouse, Ray Smith, Ken Carter RIP

Manager Hugo Langton
First team coach Dale Hurley
First team physio Katie Joynes
Goalkeeping coach John MaCrae
Under-18s Manager Dale Hurley
Under-18s Assistant Manager Craig Stevens
Under-18s coaches Jake Legrange and Johnny Buggy

Golden Rook Rob Read
Web Editor Stuart Fuller
Progcast Editors Paul Sheppard and Stuart Fuller
Progcast Designer Barry Collins
Club Photographer James Boyes