PITCHING-IN ISTHMIAN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
LEWES 4 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 1 - 22 MAR 2025 - ATT 1,207
Goals: L - Unwin 4, Bassett 7, Muirhead 77, Wrren 89
CV - Coombes 39 (pen)

Iphone pic

Match Report: Adapted from Greg Plummer (Lewes FC for the NLP)

Two goals in the opening seven minutes set the Rooks on their way before two late efforts sealed the deal in front of 1,207 fans at the Dripping Pan, giving them a big victory, denting Valley's play off aspirations in the process.

The hosts started well, Bobby Unwin turning home his first goal in red and black colours after four minutes, finishing a low ball appearing to deflect off Valley defender Clement Asiedu. Things worsened for the visitors three minutes later, Valley guilty of ball watching and Bassett nipped in to slot home an Unwin pass for his 19th league goal of the season.

The Millers made a double change after 33 minutes and those changes made a difference, the visitors starting to find their feet and steady the sinking ship. Adam Coombes made an instant impact, halving the deficit six minutes later from twelve yards after home goalkeeper Toby Bull fouled the substitute as he advanced into the area. The keeper got hand to the penalty but the power of the shot beat him.

Valley defended well to keep Lewes at arm's length in the second half but 13 minutes from time, Parish Muirhead's close range effort restored their two-goal cushion. Valley's misery was compounded a minute from normal time when ex-Miller Matt Warren poked home their fourth.

Lewes: Bull, Ojeman, Warren, Sablier (Jones 87), Bassett (c) (Ekpiteta 83), Antonio (Allen 76), Starkey (Ladapo 45), Meeres, Muirhead, Spinks, Unwin (Hutchinson 71)
Caution: Bull

Millers: Chamberlain, Williams, Lema, Bowry, Asiedu, Barrington (Coker 33), Edwards (Coombes 33), Waldren, Cumberbatch, Aileru (Gayle 61), Parker, Subs not used: Chambers, Ademiluyi
Caution: Williams

Referee: Joshua Langley-Fineing
Assistants: Ian Lane and Thomas Price

"The Preston Perspective" Guest Match Report by Preston Willott Cray Valley (PM) Supporter

Rooks Force Checkmate !

Lewes 4 - 1 Cray Valley PM
Att : 1,207
Entry : £14
Programme : None
Beer : awful

The Millers merrily meandered down to the Sussex coast hoping to continue to consolidate their play-off credentials against a mid table Lewes , and come the final whistle at the interestingly named "Dripping Pan" found themselves heading back up to SE London with nothing

I have to say given my previous experience of 'Non-League Day' I was underwhelmed by the fayre on offer at Lewes ; there was nothing to mark the day at all, or nothing that I could see of note anyway ; turnstiles didn't open till gone 13:30 pm , no matchday programmes, and those sampling the beer once inside the ground were complaining about the quality, the cost, and the queue

On a day when Bradford City of League Two were charging £5 to get in, you could have been forgiven for thinking Lewes could have pushed the boat out a little to get folks in given the large growing conurbation of Brighton a mere pebble's throw along the A27. There didn't even seem to have been any effort to have put any extra catering on either as the Sausage & Chips option was exhausted before the game had even started !!!

The match itself once underway would pivot around 2 key defining moments

Initially though, it was one way traffic for the home side, and to our surprise we were 1 0 down after 3 minutes after our right flank got far too easily penetrated and ball into the box was tucked into the back of the net. Worse was to follow 3 minutes later as almost the exact same move blew open our left flank and a ball was delivered into the box and it was 2 - 0

Given how we normally play, this was quite an unnerving spectacle as given our proximity to the coast we really were all at sea with passes misplaced , no attacking threat really visible, and from my vantage point munching on a bowl of chips near to the 'beach hut' executive boxes, all I could see was a rout being performed.

After half an hour, the first of the 2 key pivotal moments arrived. Having clearly seen enough, The Gaffer made a double substitution, bringing on Andre Coker and Adam Coombes for Marcel Barrington and Charlie Edwards. Wow. In an instant, the tempo and flavour of the game turned on its head

We could in all honesty have been 4 0 down by that point, but the footballing gods had been a little charitable towards us, but the input of Coombes and Coker between them had the home side very much on the back foot, and when the former was brought down when through on goal, a penalty was awarded which was duly converted by the player who'd earned it ; Adam Coombes

There were some who felt there should have been a red card too ; but there seemed a slight discrepancy as to whether it was the 'keeper or the last defender who'd brought him down , but the only card shown was a yellow one for the 'keeper

We were now in the ascendancy, an absolute transformation , and the Rooks were on the ropes. It was only a matter of time before we scored an equaliser in my mind such was the transformation. Half-time couldn't have come at a worse time for us.

Armed with coffee and a salted caramel brownie , I joined the rest of the Green and Black Army mooching down to the open Terry Parris terrace as a few smidgens of sunlight started to brighten the hitherto grey gloom over the South Downs

Although we had the greater share of possession and chances in the second half, we seemed to not quite have that "zip" that we'd had in the last quarter of an hour of the first 45. Nonetheless I was still supremely confident that with us continually knocking on the door that we'd eventually find that equaliser, even if we weren't testing the 'keeper enough.

There was some pretty awful timewasting too from the Lewes players that really should have been dealt with , but it wasn't

And then came the second and final key moment the pivoted the game ; an attack from the home side resulted in what looked like a brief burst of comedy pinball in our box, and eventually after watching the ball whizzing about , a red shirted player manged to prod it past Chamberlain on 77 minutes and at that point I thought "ouch ... game over!"

And it was

Former Miller Matty Warren found time to rub a little seasalt in our wounds by adding a fourth for the home side, but by then it was academic. The game as a contest was over, and had been from the moment they'd tucked their third one in.

The referee ended the contest. And that was that. I felt the officials had been poor all game, but they were not the reason we lost the game. Giving any side in the Isthmian Premier a 2 goal head start in the fashion we did is giving yourselves a hell of a mountain to climb, and although we changed things and gave it a right good go, it was on the day too stiff a climb to get anything.

Lewes possess a good ground, but I didn't find it particularly welcoming or friendly ; whether that was partly influenced by events at the Artic earlier this season perhaps but either way I was quite glad to get out of there and find myself rather unexpectedly but pleasantly munching a kebab at the top of Ditchling Beacon feasting our eyes on the atmospheric scenery of the South Downs with 2 lovely old friends whom we'd met outside the ground after the full time whistle

Quam Felix Sum

With non-league away days, good friends, and the Millers in our lives, life is good

ISMWT

Match Highlights:
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/highlights--lewes-v-cray-valley-pm--220325-209585.html

Post Match Interview: Steve McKimm
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/videos/post-match-interview--steve-mckimm-reflects-on-a-41-defeat-away-to-lewes-fc-22325-209586.html

Match Photos: Romana at Inspire Socials
https://www.crayvalleypmfc.com/photos/lewes-v-millers-22325-photos-inspire-socials-1134723.html