Sunday 14th November – 1:30pm KO – FA Women’s Championship
Welcome to The Dripping Pan for today’s FA Women’s Championship game with Coventry United. Here is your complimentary e-programme.
Manager’s Thoughts
Obviously, we’re bitterly disappointed with the performance against Watford and we know that that’s not really us.
However, the response from the players has been superb. The way they’ve come back this week into training, with the quality, the energy, the discipline they’ve shown in all the practices is testament to them really, and their professionalism.
We analysed the Watford game and there’s definitely lessons learnt from that performance which we’ve worked on in training.
It all bodes well for a positive performance; we’re very much looking forward to the Coventry game on Sunday – although we appreciate it’s going to be a very tough encounter.
COME ON YOU ROOKS
Notes from the Big Chair…
Good afternoon and welcome to the Dripping Pan for this afternoon’s Championship game against Coventry United.
In every season, just like in every game, there are tipping points – moments that can determine the outcomes one way or another. I feel today’s game could be one of those moments.
Last week’s defeat here to Watford was a blow but we can get back on course with a win today, which could theoretically see us move up into the top five. I’m sure Craig will have learnt more from last week’s defeat than he will have done from the victory here over Charlton Athletic.
Reaction is a key feature of football. How players react to events in the game, how coaches react to an opposition change in tactics or formation and how a referee reacts to incidents. I’m sure we will see a reaction today to last Sunday’s defeat.
It was great to see a big crowd here last Sunday and I hope we see something similar today. The atmosphere you guys generate on a match day is something special. We are one of the best supported teams in the division and need to make the Pan an intimidating place, in the nicest possible sense, for opposing teams to come to.
On Wednesday we make our third trip of the season to Bristol City for the Continental League Cup tie and I wish all of the team and any fans a safe journey and hope we return with the points. After our penalty defeat to Crystal Palace in the opening game, the group is set up nicely and we are still in with a shout of qualifying for the knock out stages, which could mean a game against one of the Super League sides.
Our ambition as a club is to play at the highest level and watching Arsenal and Chelsea this week in their Champions League games got me thinking about the “what if” scenario. But that’s what we as a club aspire to and that dream starts with those tipping points I mentioned earlier. So finger’s crossed we see the first of many move in our favour today.
Enjoy the game and Come On You Rooks!
Lewes vs Watford, 1-2. Images by James Boyes.
LEWES SQUAD LIST
| 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 |
COVENTRY UNITED SQUAD LIST
Olivia Clark
Holly Chandler
Nat Johnson
Charlie Estcourt
Anna Wilcox
Grace Riglar
Fran Orthodoxou
Phoebe Warner
Katie Wilkinson
Rio Hardy
Olivia Fergusson
Hayley Crackle
Becky McGrother
Mollie Green
Anna Colville
Destiney Toussaint
Katy Morris
Naomi Hartley
Lucy Thomas
Alanah Mann
Jodie Whiteman
Keeley Davies
Jay Bradford Manager
Kate Rowson Assistant Manager
Celebrity Chef helps Lewes make a meal of Women’s Football Weekend
Lewes Football Club are delighted to announce that Italian Chef Giancarlo Caldesi will be sponsoring, co-commentating and providing recipes for players’ food, at both their men’s and women’s matches at the Dripping Pan this coming weekend. With no Premier League matches, the FA have designated the coming weekend as Women’s Football Weekend. And men’s non-League attendances are also set to benefit as fans seek out replacement fixtures.
One-time Romford FC centre-half Caldesi first came across Lewes’ equality initiative when he bumped into a Lewes director at his London restaurant back in 2019, and enjoyed an unexpected conversation about the beautiful game and gender equality.
Caldesi was so inspired by the club’s radical stance on equality that the Chef and Restaurateur promptly invited the entire women’s team and coaching staff to ‘Caldesi in Marylebone’ to eat as his guests, and then came to a match to watch the team play.
Now that crowds are allowed back at the Pan the celebrated TV chef – famous for his cookery school, recipe books, and successful food-based battle against diabetes – is looking forward to getting back to Lewes. He said, ‘I love to sponsor Lewes FC. It’s a club which advocates pay equality and it’s my dream to see this become a reality one day soon. Forza Lewes!’
Caldesi will give one of his famous recipes to ‘The Pasta Boys’ – Lewes FC’s regular matchday chefs – to cook for the players’ post-match meals and has his recipe book ‘Rome: Centuries in an Italian Kitchen’ to present to every player as a gift.
Club director Karen Dobres said, ‘We’re so excited to welcome Chef Caldesi back to the Pan. He loves quality football and quality food and has the kind of generous spirit which sees the benefits of equality for all. We think our lucky players are in for a culinary treat!’
On Saturday, Caldesi will co-commentate with Sam Simons at Lewes v Haringey (Isthmian Premier League), kicking off at 3pm, and on Sunday he’ll be back in the gantry to assist Ben Jacobs for Lewes v Coventry United (FA Women’s Championship), which kicks off at the slightly earlier time of 1.30pm.
Paula Howells strike against Charlton is up for Goal of the Month!
We all lose at home sometimes – Watford Match Report
Lewes 1-2 Watford
FA Women’s Championship
Match report by Tai
Lewes fell to their first home League defeat of the season. With the sun beaming down, the Rooks had the bit between their teeth at the start. They were strong in the press, closing down Watford and this caused the first chance, which was also the first goal. A Watford throw deep in the Lewes left corner was easily repelled and the ball cleared up field with Lewes pressure causing the ball to go for a throw. The throw-in reached Ini Umotong who, backing into the defender, flicked it, with a deft outside of the boot touch, into the path of Freda Ayisi who took an instinctive first time toe poked shot into the corner of the past a diving Georgie Ferguson.
1-0 Lewes after 3 minutes.
Buoyed by the goal Lewes continued to be a threat, with free kicks and corners in quick succession, one resulting in Hazard taking on a difficult half volley which sailed over the bar. The danger was constant from Lewes.
Despite this dominance, Watford were soon back in the game. Adekite Fatuga-Dada did well down the left to get into the box and a sliding challenge from defender Sophie O’Rourke saw the referee point to the spot. Watford midfielder Emma Beckett stepped up and went to Tatiana Saunders right. Saunders got a hand to it but the power was just too much, the ball ending up in the side netting,
1-1, 10 minutes gone, game on.
With the goal, Watford’s confidence was restored and they entered a spell of dominance. The wings were dangerous for Watford, with Rosie Kmita and Fatuga-Dada being constant threats. But Lewes posed a threat too and fashioned a great chance as Heidi Logan fired a dangerous cross in which zipped across the face of the goal with no Lewes player able to get a telling touch. Watford came into the game more and more but Saunders was there each and every time the ball came across her 18 yard box
Ashalf time approached, the game saw a flurry of chances starting with Watford’s Fatuga-Dada darting into the box, but her near post shot was dealt with confidently by Saunders. Two minutes later Lewes get the best chance of the half when Ayisi held up the ball so well – a constant feature in the game – and laid it off to Izzy Dalton. She took a touch and without looking up fired a dipping 25 yard shot that cannoned off the crossbar, Ferguson flapping at air, nowhere near the effort.
The final chance of the half went to Watford as a corner was not properly dealt with and Watford’s Anaisa Harney connected with a good half volley. However Saunders had it covered all the way, diving and collecting the ball confidently to her right.
Half time saw the game in the balance.
When the second half started Lewes had the bit between their teeth. Ayisi was involved with all things good, coming a little deeper to affect play and linking up play from the back to the front. When she collected each ball she drove at the Watford defence causing panic. The first chance came of the second half came after eight minutes, falling to Paula Howells who had a pop shot from the edge of the box which was saved. The pressure was continuous but some wayward passing and crosses meant Lewes could not capitalise on their dominance.
On 66 minutes Watford got their first chance. A cross from Kmita was swatted away by Saunders and a follow up header was always going over. But that was all Watford needed to galvanise their team. A few more chances from crosses came for Watford with Lewes standing strong and defending well.
But then, on 73 minutes, Ayisi went into a 50/50 challenge and came off worse, having to be replaced on 77 minutes by Ellie Noble.
Disaster struck shortly after when a Lewes goal kick fell on the edge of the box to Watford’s Leanne Bell, who reacted quickest and her shot rolled just out of Saunders grasp and into the net.
2-1 to Watford.
With ten to go and being behind, Lewes piled on the pressure. Ashworth-Clifford, who came on at 71 minutes, started to affect the game more and made a great cross from the right, into the box, just out of everyone’s reach. Soon after she was at it again, bringing down the ball on the half way line confidently before a delicious cross field pass found Logan who was free on the left. But her cross went just over the bar on the 90th minute.
At the end of the six minutes of extra time, Lewes get their final chance. The ball along the surface was chased down by Umotong with just the keeper ahead of her. But a brilliant last ditch challenge by the Watford defender hit the ball out for a corner. Nothing came from it as Watford were first to clear the corner. The referee blew for full time. An unfortunate day for Lewes who lose 2-1 despite having a succession of nearly moments.
Some days it’s not your day, but the Rooks go again and look to their next fixture at home against Coventry this Sunday (1:30pm kick off).
Craig Gill reflected on a difficult day
“Extremely disappointed today, the players have set really high standards in training since I’ve been here and unfortunately today we failed to reach those standards, especially in possession.
“We worked hard out of possession which we’ve been working on and, again, they’ve applied themselves superbly well during the week, but I just felt that in possession we lacked something this week.
However, we go again from next week, we start again, because I know there is quality in the team I just think a few lapses in concentration have cost us the two goals after a great start.
“We started really well on the front foot and scored the early goal through Freda, but then at times we probably should have had more composure and more options in possession. I think we lacked that in times and I think that ultimately cost us points today.”
Saunders, Cleverly (C), Hazard, Hack, Ayisi (Noble 78’), Logan, Howells (Ashworth-Clifford 73’), Umotong, McKenna, O’Rourke (Timms 84’), Dalton (Cross 72’)
Subs not used: Salgado, Cousins, Boswell, Hartley, Miller
Goal: Ayisi (3’)
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 Craig Gill (interim)
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
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
NEXT UP AT THE PAN…
DECEMBER 15TH