Close to two thousand eager Lewesians arrived in party mood as Lewes FC welcomed Dorchester Town. Eastbourne Borough, neighbours and closest challengers, were away to Newport, trailing the Rooks by four points having played a game more. A win for Lewes would give them the title, as would anything but a win for Eastbourne.
The first half was a horribly tense affair. The visitors, themselves hovering perilously around the Blue Square South relegation zone, showed commitment and muscle, shading a first half full of endeavour but devoid of guile or real goalmouth action. When so many people make so little noise the resulting nervous tension can transmit to the players, and so it proved on this cold, drizzly Sussex afternoon. 0 - 0 at the break with the visitors happiest. Halftime banter was dominated by news from South Wales; Newport were a goal to the good. I took little comfort from this; to be crowned champions after a battling goal-less draw - or even a loss - would be anticlimactic to say the least.
The partisan crowd greeted the players back to the pitch with a mighty roar. The hardcore supporters, packed into the new(ish) west stand bounced up and down chanting manager Steve Kings' name. From the restart it was obvious that King, a man who's moulded a team to play fast, ground-based attacking football, had reminded his players of the need to play rather than engage the opposition in a midfield wrestling match. Jukebox (Andy Drury) stepped up to the challenge, bossing the midfield, winning key tackles and spreading the play. Dale Binns wriggled like an eel down the left flank, leaving Dorchesters' right back sat on his backside on several occasions with deft skill and lightening pace. With the west end hoards baying for a goal Lewes pressed hard. On the hour the tide turned. Wave after wave of red and black attack crashed into the Dorchester box only to break down at the last. The visitors' keeper proved resolute, pushing a stinging effort from top scorer Booth onto a post and showing courage to claim the resulting corner under pressure from Booth and the unstoppable Drury.
On sixty five minutes Lewes once again exploited Dorchesters' tiring right flank. Binns skinned his man, checked back inside to spear in a wicked cross that beat the centre half, the visitor's keeper scrambling the ball clear. Binns returned a sharp pass from Barness who clipped in a cross for the rampaging Booth to crash into the net from eight yards. Pandemonium! The west bank behind the goal erupted as to a man, woman and child the ground released a cacophony of joy and relief. The players clearly understood the significance of the breakthrough, engaging in a group hug in the right-hand corner before saluting the crowd.
King, keen to maintain the pressure and so keep the players focused, exchanged hard-working Matt Groves for Jean-Michel Sigere. Sigere, formerly of Bordeaux, Rushden & Diamonds and Kent giants Margate, had impressed during the half-time warm-up, sending a clear message to his masters that he knew where the goal was with a series of fierce strikes from outside the box. Dorchesters' beleaguered back four looked at each other pale-faced as the tall striker, sweat-streaked bald head shining under the floodlights, bounded across to the right flank.
They were right to be concerned. Dorchester, their busy front line always alert, pressed valliantly for an equaliser, efforts rebuffed by the excellent (if overly verbose) Jay Conroy. Sigere used fresh legs and obvious strength to run them ragged on the counter, missing a couple of chances to finish the match. A second seemed inevitable and it duly arrived on 88 minutes. Booth and Drury combined to pick a path through the centre. Drury, man of the match by a country mile, found the ever-ready Binns who once again tormented his marker, twisting inside to fire in a low cross that the 'keeper just parried behind. Drury's corner was flicked on by Booth, Sigere sliding in to head past the flailing 'keeper from close range.
Raucous celebrations continued in the stands through the final whistle, chants of 'We Are Going Up' seeming to rebound off the downland hills looming though the mist across Convent Field.
I stayed long enough to acclaim the players on their triumphant tour of a ground where I'd once played (for Kingston Kestrels Seniors). These boys have played the right way all season, meeting the physical challenges expected at this level and rising to show devastating pace and an unerring desire to win and win well. In that regard this match was a snapshot of the season; honest, physical endeavour met with and undone by equal strength with skill and desire to burn.
On then to the Blue Square Premier; one step away from the Promised Land. The Football League.
![[Image: home_champions.jpg]](http://www.lewesfc.com/images/home_champions.jpg)
