Match Preview - Lewes (A)

Into the final five fixtures of the season, and the Blues are on the road to the Dripping Pan on Saturday afternoon, to face Lewes, in a clash between two sides in mid-table looking to gather as many points as possible before the season reaches its conclusion.

Our Opponents

Established in 1885, Lewes have been as high as the National League this century, after they were promoted into the top tier of non-league in 2006/07, having been denied on previous occasions due to the Dripping Pan not meeting league requirements. It was a short stay in the National League however, being relegated after one tough season. In 2010/11, Lewes were relegated, into the Isthmian Premier League, and then relegated again into Isthmian South in 2015/16. It was a fairly quick return, being promoted back into the Isthmian Premier League in 2017/18, and since their return, Lewes have consistently appeared in the chasing pack for a playoff spot in recent years, having finished sixth in 2022/23, missing out on a playoff spot on goal difference and seventh in 2021/22, six points adrift.

Last season was a similar story, as Lewes finished in 8th place, nine points behind the playoff places. The Rooks made a fast start last season, sitting in a playoff place at the end of August, before falling out of contention and never being able to force their way back into the top five.

Lewes made an even faster start this season, and were top of the table from August until mid-October. Since then, it has been a steady decline, and the Rooks are currently in 13th place with 51 points from 37 games (W13 D12 L12), four points and three places behind the Blues ahead of this game. As such, it will be a battle between two sides looking to secure a top-half finish and prove that the early season form was not a flash in the (Dripping) pan.

Head to Head

Back in December, it was a thrilling 2-2 draw between these sides at the Maurice Rebak Stadium. The Blues took a two goal lead thanks to goals from Ogo Obi and Jaiden Drakes-Thomas either side of half time, before Lewes staged a late comeback through a Danny Bassett penalty and Gianluca Botti goal in added time.

Last season, the Blues managed to secure a double over the Rooks. On our trip to the Dripping Pan, we completed a late comeback in a 2-1 win. Tommy Wood gave the hosts an early lead, but Wingate & Finchley struck back through Ahmet Biler almost immediately before an Anointed Chukwu goal in the 87th minute gave the Blues all three points.

At the Maurice Rebak Stadium in February, it was a 3-0 win for the Blues. A brace from Elliot Long and a Ruben Carvalho goal gave the Blues all three points in a game that could've gone either way.

Last Time Out

The Blues had their eight game unbeaten run ended on Saturday at the hands of Cray Valley PM. Some excellent results in that run included wins against playoff chasing Horsham, Dover Athletic and Billericay.

For Lewes, the last few games have been a real mixed bag, highlighting the inconsistency of the season the Rooks have had. In the last six matches, there have been four wins, including 3-1 wins over Dulwich Hamlet and title-chasing Dartford, and a 4-1 win over last weekend's opposition Cray Valley PM. On the flip-side, big defeats at the hands of Canvey Island (4-0) and Chichester City (3-0) have slowed the momentum slightly.

Players To Watch

Gianluca Botti, who netted against the Blues in December, was snapped up by National League South side Tonbridge Angels shortly after our last meeting. In his place, the goalscoring duties have fallen firmly on Lewes' other goalscorer on that day, skipper Danny Bassett. Bassett has 21 goals in 44 games in all competitions this season, including 19 in the league, putting him amongst the league's top marksmen. Bassett is no stranger to this league, having played for Carshalton and Cray Wanderers in recent years, as well as appearing in the National League south for Braintree and Hampton & Richmond. Bassett has 5 goals in his last 6 games coming into the weekend.

Another to keep an eye on is winger Bobby Unwin, who came through Southend's academy setup, before spells with Concord Rangers and Cheshunt. Having signed in January, Unwin scored his first goal for the Rooks in the 4-1 win over Cray Valley. Since his arrival, manager Craig Nelson claimed that the signing of Unwin had helped to give the club a new lease of life, and referred to the young winger as "electric" in an interview with Sussex World.

For the Blues, Ogo Obi was celebrating his birthday this week, and the Blues' number 9 will be looking to celebrate even more in a few weeks if he can claim the league's golden boot. He currently has 27 goals in all competitions this season, including 24 in the league which puts him just one behind Chichester City's Jimmy Wild with five games to go.

In midfield, Ben Watt has certainly made himself at home since joining in January, forming a great trio with Ryan Lowe and Jaiden Drakes-Thomas, Watt has started 13 games in succession. The former Norwich City academy player has added some extra tenacity into the midfield and has been a big part of the improved run of form that the side has been on in recent weeks.

Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.