Brightlingsea Regent 2
Lewes 2
Brightlingsea Regent’s winless run extended to 11 games in all competitions as an Alfie Young header 15 minutes from time ensured a 2-2 draw in a topsy turvy tie at home to Lewes.
The visitors started on the front foot with Regent goalkeeper Charlie Turner being called into early action. Razzaq Coleman De-Graft found himself in a pocket of space 25 yards from goal and curled an effort towards the target that Turner had to tip over.
However, Coleman De-Graft wasn’t to be denied and five minutes later the 24-year-old broke the deadlock. Joe Taylor laid the ball off to Coleman De-Graft who cut inside and curled an effort that kissed the underside of the crossbar and bounced into the back of the home goal. This strike was the former Hampton & Richmond midfielder's seventh of the season.
Tony Russe’s side continued to dominate and went close to doubling their lead a few minutes later. Another flowing move from the Rooks ended with an unmarked Coleman De-Graft being picked out at the far post. The midfielder tried to place his effort however Turner was quick off his line to block the attempt.
Despite the visitor’s dominance it would be Brightlingsea who would get the next goal in the contest with Brett Munyard’s men getting an arguably underserved leveller on the half hour mark. Jermaine Anderson picked up play in his own half and the right back went on a lung busting run forward that saw him dance past Will Salmon and break into the Lewes penalty area before firing the ball past Lewis Carey and into the far corner for a surprise yet eye catching equaliser.
However, within five minutes of this the Rooks went extremely close to retaking the lead. Jamie Mascoll took a free kick for Lewes right on the edge of the hosts’ box and the former Bolton Wanderers man was able to get the ball up and over but was cruelly denied with the post coming to Brightlingsea’s rescue – ensuring the two sides would go in level at the break.
The second half started quietly at North Road but the hosts did eventually take the lead, as not long after Francis Jno-Baptiste missed a guilt edge opportunity Luke Woodward fired the R’s in front. Following a phase of head tennis Lewes managed to partially clear play as far as the edge of the area, and Woodward latched onto the loose ball and volleyed a clean strike into the bottom corner that left Carey rooted to the spot making it 2-1 to Regent.
However Brightlingsea just couldn't hold on and as the game approached the final quarter the scores were levelled once again. A low Mascoll free kick was half cleared by Brightlingsea, and Coleman De-Graft was able to redeliver and Young rose highest at the far post heading into the far corner for his first goal of the campaign.
A draw for Brightlingsea sees the R’s move up one place in the table to 20th.
Meanwhile for Lewes they remain 12th. The Rooks are now six games unbeaten in all competitions and three games unbeaten against Brightlingsea. However Russell’s side are still awaiting a first clean sheet on their travels this term.
ATT: 250
MOTM: Jamie Mascoll (Lewes)
Brightlingsea Regent: Turner, Anderson, Oladejo, Durling, Thompson, Littlejohn, Jeremiah (Barnby 59’), Singh, Jno-Baptiste (Rusell 75’), Woodward (Olukolu 82’), Locke
Goals: Anderson 29’, Woodward: 67’
Lewes: Carey, Mascoll, Champion, Coleman De-Graft, Hyde (Skinner 73’), Taylor, Murrell-Williamson (Dalling 73’), Renee, Young, Pritchard, Salmon
Goals: Coleman De-Graft 8’, Young 74’
By Nathan Williams
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