Baxter leaves Staines red faced

This week the South League added the possible and probable promotion and relegation lines to the league table, a clear sign that we're fast approaching the business end of the season. With Lewes 4 points adrift in the relegation zone, a fixture against bottom of the table Staines, was marked as a must win, to avoid sinking further into the myre.

With 4 players missing from the usual squad, Lewes made a number of positional changes. Jo Piller was pushed forward into central midfield, with Alex Baxter spearheading the attack with Alex Cooke and Alex Lloyd either side.

Lewes started the brighter of the 2 sides forcing a couple of good saves from the Staines keeper from the outset. Cooke found plenty of room on the right flank supported by Chris Spruce and they combined to win successive penalty corners. Lewes' failure to convert these became an issue once more and it wasn't until the 4th corner that the Sussex side made the breakthrough as the third phase of the set piece was turned in by Spruce.

Staines then had a slightly more positive spell however all chances were easily thwarted by Josh Pewter in net. It was during this pressure however that Lewes hit on the counter. Cooke broke into the opposing D only to be brought clumsily down by the keeper. The keeper stayed on the pitch but Baxter slotted easily home. A third was then added shortly after, Baxter doubling his tally with a hard strike from the top of the D.

At half time, the feeling was very much about seeing out the game in the most professional of manners and to be fair to the boys in green, the discipline was excellent, Matt Clark only seeing the sinbin for his eagerness to shave tackle. Less could be said about Staines and with 20 minutes to go, frustration was taken out on Dave Roberts by the home side’s central midfielder as he swung his stick at the Lewes player’s midrift. A red card was brandished and Staines were to see out the game with 10 men.

Lewes capitalised on this and dictated the pace of the game yet the Staines keeper kept them at bay. Jo Piller was a whisker away from a debut senior goal however was denied by a body on the line. A stroke was awarded and Baxter stepped up again to make it 4-0 and complete a well deserved hattrick.

The win was secured, as was a clean sheet and due to other results going Lewes' way, they are now just 2 points from 10th. Lewes’ next fixture is on Saturday at 3pm when they host Banbury.

Report by Josh Pewter