Lewes 0 Chatham Town 3

[spur]

Tony Russell, in his programme notes, warned that we'd have to deal with Chatham's physicality today, and it didn't take long for us to understand what he meant. The visitors, setting out to bully us into submission, picked up several yellow cards in the first half hour, during which time we kept our composure, played the better football and should have taken the lead when Kalvin, unmarked, headed a cross the wrong side of the post. But of course you don't get to second in the table without playing decent football too, and it was Nathan who had to make the save of the first half, somehow turning a fierce close-range shot over the bar.

The result suggests a hammering, but the match was goalless until as late as the 79th minute, when Chatham's direct play at last paid off. Sanchez Ming, captain for the day, was flattened by a shoulder barge as their powerful no 11 ran free, and although the initial danger was snuffed out, the ball fell kindly to one of their midfielders whose shot took a sharp deflection on its way into the net.

Their tails were up after that, and they sealed the victory with two goals in added time - a penalty after Jake brought his man down in a vain race for the ball and a powerful header direct from a corner.

There's no disgrace in losing to one of the top teams, and there was plenty to admire in the Rooks performance today. The uncomfortable truth, however, is that we so rarely look likely to score despite our neat build-up play. We probably earn our opponents' respect without ever terrifying them.

Attendance 969.

[pj]

Deserved defeat, but that penalty looked a terrible decision. It looked like a great tackle and he got the ball cleanly. That killed the game.

[everyotherweek]

That's probably a fair report. Chatham broke up the game at every opportunity in the first half, but I always felt they were likely to score.

Before they did, we had an extraordinary escape when the crossbar and what appeared to be someone's backside stopped an opener on a proper scramble.

The penalty was right in front of us and looked very dubious, but by then our heads had dropped.

Disappointing again, I'm afraid - we'll have to play much better to get something at Horsham.

[agl]

The season is slipping away. Against the good teams we are getting found out time and again. Thought we shaded the first half, without creating much, in the face of rough house tactics and spoiling by Chatham. Second half they played a bit more football and their strength and fitness showed. Disappointing that Ming was out muscled in the build up to their opening goal. It was the decisive moment in the match, although we'd lived dangerously on several occasions.
We look thin on quality in several areas.

[ringmerrook16]

Another disappointing day, miles off it. I think we need to be brutally honest and say majority of this lot aren’t up for it.

Lots of pretty football but still don’t see where the goals are coming from. All fart no sh*t as they say.

Hope for better next week, but Horsham will fancy themselves for a go at the playoffs I should think.

[robm99]

Concede first-we're done, it seems. Our last 5 defeats, one goal for - and that was a very late penalty - and seventeen against. Score first; 4-2 and 3-1 wins.

[Barry Collins]

Supporters Club match report here: lewesfcsupporters.club/lewes-0-vs-chatham-town-3-chat-show/

[clive]

Feb 18, 2024 6:55:12 GMT ringmerrook16 said:

Another disappointing day, miles off it. I think we need to be brutally honest and say majority of this lot aren’t up for it.

Lots of pretty football but still don’t see where the goals are coming from. All fart no sh*t as they say.

Hope for better next week, but Horsham will fancy themselves for a go at the playoffs I should think.

[clive]

i agree with ringmer rook the majority of them arent up to it also the tactics need to be seriously questioned and whisper it quietly maybe tony has taken us as far as he can perhaps its time for fresh blood in the dug out

[spur]

I disagree with both the 'not up to it' and 'not up for it' criticisms. Man for man we're much on a par with other teams, it seems to me, and the upper region of midtable is probably our finishing point this season. Unlocking defences is our biggest problem. Murtagh has been more effective than Wood at centre forward but a top no. 9 (and they're probably like gold dust) would be a great help - especially if he got some decent service.

[gonefishing046]

The goals against 52 suggests our defence are not up too it which is clear for anyone too see. Only five teams with worse. But I agree it's a mid table squad. I think 11th is pretty good for this bunch

[ringmerrook16]

Sorry, I’ll clarify, they’re not up to the level to be a play off side. Lost 5 of the last 7 and shipped 20 in the process, something has to give at some stage.

We’re a mid table side at best this year who play pretty football with no real goal threat and get rolled by anyone remotely physical. If that’s what people are content with that’s fine, but just feel we should be aiming a lot higher than that.

[hunnsmererook]

Feb 18, 2024 17:38:34 GMT ringmerrook16 said:

Sorry, I’ll clarify, they’re not up to the level to be a play off side. Lost 5 of the last 7 and shipped 20 in the process, something has to give at some stage.

We’re a mid table side at best this year who play pretty football with no real goal threat and get rolled by anyone remotely physical. If that’s what people are content with that’s fine, but just feel we should be aiming a lot higher than that.

To aim higher the Rooks as a team need significantly more financial clout to recruit and maintain higher quality players. I think that Tony and the lads are up to the best that they can be. 
As a team we are not up to play off level (and anyway the club couldn’t finance a sustained promotion were we to manage it). 
How many on this forum remember our abject failure at the higher level last time around. COYR

[ian]

Feb 18, 2024 18:48:53 GMT hunnsmererook said:

Feb 18, 2024 17:38:34 GMT ringmerrook16 said:

Sorry, I’ll clarify, they’re not up to the level to be a play off side. Lost 5 of the last 7 and shipped 20 in the process, something has to give at some stage.

We’re a mid table side at best this year who play pretty football with no real goal threat and get rolled by anyone remotely physical. If that’s what people are content with that’s fine, but just feel we should be aiming a lot higher than that.

To aim higher the Rooks as a team need significantly more financial clout to recruit and maintain higher quality players. I think that Tony and the lads are up to the best that they can be. 
As a team we are not up to play off level (and anyway the club couldn’t finance a sustained promotion were we to manage it). 
How many on this forum remember our abject failure at the higher level last time around. COYR

As someone who remembers our epic battles fondly and follows from afar, I think you have to be one of the better funded teams in the league.  Hurling more money at a squad that has regressed over the past few years doesn't seem logical.  If the team needs strengthening through an increase in the budget, it seems folly to employ a handsomely remunerated social media person when most other clubs have volunteers.  Similarly the vanity project that your European adventure has cost you big money in travel as well as a huge distraction for I'm not sure what, exactly.


Hope you get things sorted soon. 

[ringmerrook16]

So on the subject of money, why don’t we have any? Appreciate its non league football, but our average gate is about 1,000, 5th highest in the league, a women’s team probably earning some tidy grants etc and then big sponsors with global companies, Xero, L&S etc.

Appreciate there’s no sugar daddy in the background, but teams who gate less than half of us are up and around it.