Brack to Jeckyll & Hyde

LEWES maintained their challenge at the top of the table with a 2-0 home win over Bracknell at a sun-drenched Dripping Pan on Saturday.

The Rooks should have put the game out of reach in a first half which they completely dominated, only to go off the boil in the second period. While the visitors very rarely threatened, it made for a somewhat nervous second 45 minutes for the home fans.

Lewes gave a debut to new signing Lee Taylor, a left-sided player, who made the move from Chertsey only the day before, and he showed some impressive touches before injury forced his substitution.

Before a sizeable crowd of 343, the first half was packed with action, and the home side took the lead on 11 minutes. Graham Harper measured a cross from the right that was met by the head of Tony Reid at the far post. His downward header gave Hutt no chance as it found the bottom corner.

On 17 minutes the home fans were demanding a penalty, and they had a point. The livewire Lee Newman turned a defender in the box and, as the youngster marched towards goal, he appeared to be caught from behind. Referee Mr Bull saw it differently and waved play on.

On 24 minutes, just after Russell Tanner was forced into a fine low save from Smith, Reid doubled the lead. Taylor did well to chase down a through ball and, although Hutt initially did well to drive the debutant wide, he chose the right option in crossing and once again the front man did the rest with his head. The home fans were sensing a rout.

Reid almost made it a hat-trick of headers on 27 minutes as he once again rose majestically at the far post to power the ball goalwards, but this time Hutt made a decent save.

Taylor ought to have marked his debut with a goal on 33 minutes as he found himself with only Hutt to beat, but, after steadying himself, fired wide to the astonishment of the 'behind the goal boys'. Taylor soon found himself in a great position from a corner, but this time scooped over the bar from barely three yards out.

As an attacking force Bracknell were almost non-existent, but Tanner was forced into a brilliant save on 41 minutes as Edwards tried his luck from fully 30 yards. The ball seemed to be heading for the top corner before the keeper somehow tipped it over.

In injury time Danny Davis had his left foot drive turned onto a post by Hutt, but the second half, by comparison, was a damp squid. The home side were almost unrecognisable as they struggled to move out of first gear. While they never looked likely to concede, they rarely threatened to add to Reid's first half efforts.

The strangest incident occurred midway through the half. A clearance by Tanner soared upwards towards outer space and Taylor decided to head the ball once it reappeared in the stratosphere. Having done so, he collapsed like a pack of cards. Some of the locals feared a severe head injury, but the new boy was carted off having strained a leg muscle!

It was a good day all round for the Rooks as promotion rivals Carshalton, Bognor and Horsham all lost. The subsequent victory over Molesey on Tuesday night (www.lewestoday.co.uk) saw the Rooks soar to second spot.

LEWES: Tanner, Harper, Taylor (Green 60), Venables, Hack, Cable, Davis (Curnow 75), Kamara, Reid, Chin, Newman (Barclay 60). MOM: Tony Reid.