Wednesday 13th October – 19:30 KO – FA WSL CUP Group Stage
Welcome to The Dripping Pan for today’s FA WSL Cup game with Crystal Palace. Here is your complimentary e-programme.
Notes from the Big Chair…
Good evening and welcome to The Pan for our first game in this season’s Continental Tyres League Cup against Crystal Palace. I’d like to welcome the players, management, officials and fans from South London and hope their journey home is problem-free.
Yesterday we made the tough decision to part ways with Manager Simon Parker and Assistant Ady Penrose. Simon has done a fantastic job since coming to the club in 2019, first as assistant to Fran Alonso and then stepping into the hot seat when Fran departed for Celtic. He build a squad that became hard to beat, which saw us finish in fifth spot last season, the highest we have ever done. He has recruited well in the summer and we have won both home games so far but as a club we felt that now was the right time to make a change as we set our ambitions on promotion to the WSL.
There is rarely a good time to change a management team but as a club we have ambitions to be playing at the highest level possible. For our Women’s team that means we want to be in the WSL – it isn’t a pipe dream. We increased our playing budget during the summer for both first team squads to give our first team managers everything they needed. In the case of our Men’s team under Tony Russell, the team have hit a run of form and are playing entertaining football, winning and scoring goals. Whilst our Women’s team have eked out two home wins so far, in a league that is wide open this season, we haven’t seen the signs that we would be one of the challengers.
Our squad is strong, with many talented players and our aim is still to be among the pack pushing for promotion in six months’ time. To do that, we felt we needed to make a change, both in terms of our management structure but also our style of play. Of course it is a gamble, but the longer the season progresses, the bigger that gamble becomes.
I’d like to wish Simon and Ady all the best for the future. Simon stepped into the role at a time where we needed some stability and he gave us that, then built a team that could more than hold its own in the second flight of English football. His place in our history is set – we now need to look to the future and taking the team to the next level.
We’ve brought in Craig Gill on an interim basis to work with the team. Craig has an impressive background in the game and is a UEFA A Licence holder and I am sure everyone wishes him well for tonight and the remainder of the season whilst the club searches for a new permanent manager.
Get behind the team tonight and Come on you Rooks!
Rooks part company with Simon Parker
Lewes FC can confirm that Women’s First Team Manager Simon Parker will be leaving the club after almost 2 years at the helm.
Simon joined the club as Assistant Manager to Fran Alonso in 2019 but took over as Manager in early 2020. He led the team through the challenges of the global pandemic to achieve the club’s highest ever finish of 5th place. First Team Coach, Ady Penrose will also be leaving the club.
Directors are grateful to Simon for improving the coaching environment that he inherited and his on-pitch success and wish both Simon and Ady well in their next ventures.
An Interim Manager will be appointed to manage the team and oversee the next phase of professionalisation. The club will appoint a new First Team Manager in due course.
Craig Gill to join the Rooks as Interim Women’s First Team Manager
Lewes FC has today appointed Craig Gill as Interim First Team Manager of the Lewes FC Women’s First Team.
Gill has been appointed on an interim consultancy basis to further develop the high-performance environment alongside the performance support staff and realise the full potential of players in the squad.
Gill has more than 25 years’ experience as a coach, coach educator and player developer including in elite environments and takes a multidisciplinary approach to coaching, with a strong physical performance and analysis background.
Gill said “I’m extremely pleased to be joining such a forward-thinking and unique football club at Lewes. I’m very grateful for the opportunity given to me by the Board and very much look forward to working with them, the players, staff and Maggie”.
Director Trevor Wells said “We’re delighted to welcome Craig on board. We have an excellent set of players and staff at the club, and we’re keen to have him help unlock their full potential on the training ground and on match day.”
The club will take their time to appoint a full-time 1st Team Manager.
Craig Gill Bio
Craig Gill joins Lewes FC Women on an interim consultancy basis to further develop the high-performance environment. An experienced coach, coach educator, player developer, and physical trainer, he is a qualified UEFA A Licence holder and holds an MSc in Sports Coaching.
His previous roles include Coach Educator and Elite Player Development Coach for the Football Association of Wales Trust, Elite Coach Educator and National Youth Coach with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation; National Coach Mentoring Manager, Assistant First Team Coach at Newport County AFC; First Team Fitness Consultant and Performance Analyst, and Reserve Team and Academy Coach at Swansea City AFC.
Craig served as a Physical Training Instructor and Physical Education Officer in the Royal Air Force for 25 years and retired as a Squadron Leader in 2011.
During this period, he played for a coached the successful RAF and U.K. Armed Forces senior representative teams and represented Wales at semi-professional level whilst playing in the National League, League of Wales, and Isthmian League.
Livestreaming
Live-streaming is moving to being Owner exclusive, though with some matches still publicly available. Ownership is from as little as ÂŁ5/month (ÂŁ50 annual).
Get involved at: http://LewesFC.com/owners
Lewes vs Blackburn Rovers, 1-0. Images by James Boyes.
Previous Game Highlights
LEWES SQUAD LIST
Manager: Simon Parker
| 1 | Tatiana Saunders (GK) |
| 32 | Shanell Salgado (GK) |
| 2 | Ellie Mason |
| 3 | Rhian Cleverly (C) |
| 4 | Amelia Hazard |
| 5 | Nicola Cousins |
| 6 | Ellie Hack |
| 7 | Lucy Ashworth-Clifford |
| 8 | Ellie Noble |
| 9 | Georgia Timms |
| 10 | Freda Ayisi |
| 11 | Heidi Logan |
| 12 | Charley Boswell |
| 14 | Paula Hotwells |
| 15 | Ini Umotong |
| 18 | Rebecca McKenna |
| 19 | Kallie Balfour |
| 20 | Sophie O’Rourke |
| 23 | Izzy Dalton |
| 27 | Zoe Cross |
| 34 | Lara Miller |
CRYSTAL PALACE SQUAD LIST
Manager: Dean Davenport
| 1 | Chloe Morgan (GK) |
| 2 | Annabel Johnson (C) |
| 3 | Leanne Cowan |
| 4 | Leigh Nicol |
| 5 | Grace Coombs |
| 6 | Aimee Everett |
| 7 | Charley Clifford |
| 8 | Molly Sharpe |
| 9 | Millie Farrow |
| 10 | Kate Natkiel |
| 11 | Bianca Baptiste |
| 12 | Lizzie Waldie |
| 13 | Emily Orman |
| 14 | Siobhan Wilson |
| 15 | Sophie McLean |
| 16 | Gracie Pearse |
| 18 | Kirsty Barton |
| 20 | Hope Smith |
| 23 | Coral Haines |
| 25 | Hannah Churchill |
Fixture List
Women’s Sport Collective gather at the Pan
Rooks tan Leatherhead with five of the best
A dominant display saw Lewes record their second home win of the season with a comfortable 5-0 victory over ten-man Leatherhead under the lights at the Pan, reports Tom Harper.
Tony Russell named an unchanged side after Saturday’s 6-2 win at Margate as the Rooks looked to secure their fifth win in their last six league games. Lewes started brightly and created a number of chances early on, with Ollie Tanner at the heart of all their best moments.
The in-form winger was denied twice by visiting goalkeeper Myles Bowman either side of a close-range chance that he put just wide at the end of an incisive passing move, all inside the first 15 minutes.
The visitors, playing their first game under the new management team of Mustafa Bashkal and Qayum Shakoor, grew into the game after these early scares and ensured it was an even contest for much of the first half.
They came close to taking the lead twice in quick succession, with Lewis Carey forced into a smart save to keep out a long-range effort from Chidubem Onokwai, before reacting well to help a Darnell Kithambo strike round his near post minutes later.
The Rooks began to apply more pressure again towards the end of the half and took the lead six minutes before the break through Joe Taylor, whose shot on the turn took a slight deflection on its way past Bowman and in off the underside of the bar after good play down the right by Razzaq Coleman De-Graft.
The game swung firmly in Lewes’ favour on 43 minutes, as Leatherhead captain Ryan Huckle was shown a straight red card for pulling back Taylor as he looked to race through on goal with only Bowman to beat. Lewes doubled their lead from the resulting free-kick, as Taylor Maloney’s strike took a wicked deflection off the wall, completely wrong-footing Bowman on its way into the bottom corner.
The Rooks continued where they had left off after the break and made it 3-0 on 50 minutes through Bradley Pritchard, who guided an effort from just inside the area through the legs of a covering defender and into the bottom corner after being teed up by Taylor. Lewes were dominating possession at this stage and looked a threat every time they went forward.
Michael Klass was the next player to go close, seeing a powerful strike pushed round the post by Bowman after more impressive build-up play. It was 4-0 just after the hour, as Matt Weaire headed a Tanner corner goal-wards, and Taylor was on hand to apply the finishing touch from inside the six-yard box.
Lewes showed no signs of taking their foot off the gas as they headed into the closing stages, with Pritchard and Maloney dictating the pace of the game in midfield and Tanner continuing to prove a constant threat.
The Rooks scored a fifth goal on 74 minutes, as substitute Freddie Parker played in Tanner down the right and when his effort came back off the far post, Iffy Allen was on hand to convert the rebound and score his first goal for the club.
Lewes remained on the front foot in the final ten minutes but were unable to score six goals for the second consecutive game, Tanner being denied by Bowman at the end of a run that took him past several Leatherhead defenders, before Parker saw a strike from the edge of the area go through Bowman’s legs and bobble just wide of the post with the final action of the game.
Highlights of the game, thanks to Your Instant Replay can be watched here. You can read a copy of the Progcast here. Pictures thanks to the awesome James Boyes.
The Rooks travel to Worthing in their next game on the 23rd October, kick-off at 3pm.
Lewes: Carey, Yao (Colombie 46), Carlse, Weaire, Nelson, Pritchard, Maloney, Klass (Parker 59), De-Graft (Allen 70), Tanner, Taylor. Unused Subs: D’Arienzo, Olukoga. Booked: Klass.
Leatherhead: Bowman, Kiangebini, Lema, Mabassa, Huckle, McGee, Bombelenga (Black 46), Kabashi (Briggs 50), Onokwai, Skinner (Manning 79), Kithambo. Unused Subs: Smith, Cawdron. Booked: Kiangebini. Sent off: Huckle.
Attendance: 449
Lewes Men’s #CallHimOut Campaign
Football is powerful. Its influence goes beyond the pitch and beyond the full-time whistle. And, for now, football is a majority male sport, in participation and watching it.
So what better place to take action against the epidemic of misogyny, sexism and male-on-female violence.
Because it’s time, it’s way beyond time, that men took personal responsibility for what all women have to endure, day in, day out.
This is a problem for men to resolve, not women.
Lewes FC’s men’s team want to do something, as a group and as individuals.
From today, when anyone in the men’s team (and managers, and coaches) hears or sees something said or done by a workmate, family member, friend or anyone they’re with, that they feel is disrespectful, sexist or harmful in any way to a woman, whether she’s there or not, they will speak to that man and they will #CallHimOut. That might make them feel uncomfortable. But nowhere near as uncomfortable as the women on the receiving end of every demeaning comment.
Our men’s team are good guys, like so many men, but now is the time to take action. And that action will include each man also calling themselves out sometimes, by going back on an ill-judged comment, by saying “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that”. This is a decision that starts within each man, to be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
“What stuff should I call out? Who decides?” people (men) may ask. The answer is that each man will develop their own radar, their own code and will know, in their heart, when something needs to be called out.
This is something that every man can do and it will make a difference to women’s everyday lives.
#CallHimOut
FILMING AT TODAY’S GAME
Today there may be film crews in the ground, filming on behalf of Lewes Football Club and other media organisations. The filming is usually for Lewes FC marketing purposes, to show what a match day looks/sounds like and to generally promote what we do. Lewes Football Club respectfully asks for your permission to be filmed. If you do not want to be filmed, please let the crew know directly and they will oblige. Thanks for your cooperation in helping to build a successful club.
CREDITS AND LEGAL
“The FA Women’s Championship strongly supports recent FA statements that there should be a zero tolerance approach against racism and all forms of discrimination. Accordingly, any form of discriminatory abuse, whether it be based on race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, faith, age, ability 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).“
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, John Peel, Ed Ramsden, Claire Rafferty (co-opted), Trevor Wells
Chief Executive Maggie Murphy
General Manager & COVID-19 Officer Lynne Burrell
Operations Manager James Barker
Commercial Manager Ini Umotong
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 Simon Parker
Assistant Coach Jesus Cordon
Assistant Coach Ady Penrose
PP Coach Christos Andreou
GK Coach John Macrae
Nutritionist Stefano Montanari
Asst PPC Kayleigh Bonwick
Physio Katrina Martin
Physiotherapist Paul Paredes
Team Psychologist Chelsea Orme
Data Analyst Adam Chilcott
Kitman Jessie Maes
Women’s DS Head Coach David Seymour
Women’s DS Assistant Coach Kavi Luchowa
U16 Girls Head Coach Carl Penfold
U16 Girls Assistant Coach Tim Heal
U14 Girls Head Coach Rob Palmer
U14 Girls Assistant Coach Tom Young
Pathway Co-ordinator Ryan Sullivan
Golden Rook Rob Read
Web Editor Stuart Fuller
Progcast Editors Stuart Fuller and Sam Simons
Club Photographer James Boyes