- Lewes reach the 2nd qualifying round for the second year running
- Lewes are now unbeaten in five games having kept a clean sheet in the last 4
With Saturdays game at Bognor finishing 0-0, Lewes welcomed the Rocks to the Dripping Pan for the replay of the fixture, a similar result would result in extra time and ultimately penalties. Last season Lewes made it to the 3rd qualifying round before being knocked out by Conference South side Sutton United.
Bognor started the first half on top, dominating the possession without creating any real chances or causing the Lewes defence much of a problem. The Bognor full backs provided them with some width however despite his best efforts, James Crane struggled to put in a decent cross after doing the hard work and getting in to the right position.
Bognor's Stuart Green was trying to pull the strings up front for the Rocks, cutting inside from the left on a couple of occasions, his best moment coming when he found some space and fired the ball at goal forcing Rikki Banks to palm the ball away out for a corner.
Lewes fought their way back in ten minutes in and the game evened out, both teams getting forward although neither seeming to have the cutting edge needed to get on front. The Rooks had their first effort on goal when a free kick was floated in and met by a Gary Elphick header. However there was no power in the effort and Chris Winterton had a simple task to stop the ball.
Lewes fans thought they were going to take the lead when a ball in to the box from Nick Wheeler found Nathan Crabb, however he somehow missed the goal from inside the 6 yard box. Although he was spared his blushes as the linesman raised his flag for offside.
Lewes had decided to start with Luke Blewden up front in place of Elliot Romain who had caused Bognor problems on Saturday. It was Blewden who flicked a long ball forward with his head, looping the ball over the Bognor defence and in to Crabb who burst through on goal. However, Chris Winterton spread his body out well denying Crabb a second goal in successive home games.
Lewes were beginning to get on top of the game and Phillip Appiah broke forward before a poor challenge over the ball from Doug Tuck stopped him in his tracks. The referee failed to take any action to the frustration of the home fans. Jack Dixon blazed the resulting free kick over the bar, the score remaining goalless.
Bognor came flying out of the traps for the second half, almost immediately forcing Steve Brinkhurst in to a goal line clearance.
Again, both sides were creating decent chances but neither were able to get the ball over the line. A headed effort from Jack Dixon went wide before Rikki Banks was forced in to a brilliant low diving save at the other end.
Elliot Romain and former Bognor striker Terry Dodd were brought on for Lewes with thirty minutes to go. Bognor had fought their way back on top and could have taken the lead when Harvey Whyte found himself in plenty of space after some sloppy play lead to Jack Dixon giving the ball away. Whyte lined up the shot as he cut in from the right hand side of the box but sliced his effort sending it crashing in to the advertising boards behind the Lewes goal.
After a spell of being on the back foot, in a game of swings and roundabouts, Lewes took control again for the final ten minutes. It was mid way through this spell in which Elliot Romain won a corner after he chased down a Jack Dixon shot and forced another fine save from Chris Winterton. Despite both keepers being in fine form, neither of them would have kept out Ollie Rowe's blasting header from the resulting corner, placed perfectly by Jack Dixon. Ollie Rowe flew in from the back of the area, planting the ball firmly in to the back of the net.
Bognor threw everyone forward for the final five minutes but ultimately, the game was already decided, Lewes progressed after two very close encounters with their local rivals and will now travel to Whitham Town on the 27th September for the next round of the FA Cup.
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