From 1-0 to 2-2 in minutes – Lewes frustrated after flurry of late goals

Lewes will hope to return to winning ways at Enfield on Saturday. The Rooks are tenth – but still only a few points off the play-off zone.

In a first half of very few clear-cut opportunities, the best of the chances fell to Lewes, who saw Chris Whelpdale head a Marcus Sablier cross onto the bar.

The Rooks were seeing plenty of the ball but finding it tough to get in behind the well-organised visiting defence as the half progressed.

Canvey goalkeeper Sam Jackson was called into action towards the end of the half, helping a deflected Sam Oguntayo strike past his near post.

Lewes made a bright start to the second half, with Ayo Olukoga heading an Oguntayo cross over the bar.

The Rooks were beginning to enjoy plenty of room down their left, and saw Whelpdale draw a smart save from Jackson with a close-range header after good play down that side by Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala.

Lewes took the lead their second-half pressure had been threatening on 63 minutes, as Ryan Gondoh ran onto a through-ball before finishing across Jackson and into the bottom corner.

They nearly doubled their lead minutes later, with Lumbombo-Kalala seeing a strike from the edge of the area parried by Jackson and the loose ball just evade Whelpdale in front of goal.

The introduction of Sam Higgins, a regular scorer against Lewes for his previous clubs, immediately gave the visitors more of an attacking impetus as they looked for an equaliser.

They nearly found one through Rob Girdlestone, who was just unable to apply a finish from close range after Reon Smith-Kouassi had done well to head a corner back across goal at the far post.

The visitors came even closer to an equaliser with their next attack, as Smith-Kouassi met a Bradley Sach cross but was only able to guide his close-range effort against the foot of the post.

Canvey levelled the scores in the final minute of normal time, Higgins out-muscling Ronnie Vint and finishing emphatically past Nathan Harvey from inside the area.

Lewes responded immediately though, regaining their lead two minutes into injury-time, as Jake Elliott met a Sablier corner, heading it past Jackson and into the back of the net to spark jubilant celebrations behind the goal.

Unfortunately for the home fans, Canvey weren’t to be denied a point, as a Higgins free-kick from the edge of the area was just too powerful for Harvey to keep out, the ball ending up in the bottom corner to ensure it finished 2-2.

Lewes: Harvey, Olukoga, Vint, Elliott, Oguntayo, Penney, Pritchard, Sablier, Gondoh (Ogunwamide 85), Lumbombo-Kalala, Whelpdale. Unused Subs: Murtagh, Wood, Leahy, Ming.