Rooks keep on playoffs pressure

Lewes have now taken 13 points from their last five league games but with probably 70-plus points required to make the playoffs its still a massive call.

Even so, the Rooks are in great form given the full squad is now available to manager Steve King and they were far too strong for Fisher, who worked the ball well but had little strike power.

King kept the same team that beat Histon 3-1 on Saturday, with Ian Simpemba and Simon Wormull, suspended for that game, on the bench.

Fisher had their best strike of the game in the second minute when Luke Hickey broke through and from 20 yards fired in a shot that goalkeeper Steve Williams dived across to push round a post.

Lewes, who lost 5-1 at Fisher in December, took time to settle though the lively O'Connor fired across goal and then shot narrowly wide.

On 20 minutes Fisher defender Steve Clarke, who was soon to collapse in pain and be substituted, dwelt too long on the ball and was robbed by Gary Holloway. The midfielder passed to Booth, whose shot bounced off the top of the crossbar.

On 30 minutes Lewis Hamilton took a free-kick wide on the left, Andy Drury crossed from the right and O'Connor in the centre fired powerfully home. It was a brilliant goal, unusual that the ball did not touch the ground in the three-man move.

Hamilton suffered a thigh problem in the first half and did not return after the break and was replaced by Simpemba.

Lewes might have scored several in the second half which they dominated. On 59 minutes Drury put O'Connor in and from an angle his shot cannoned off goalkeeper Paul Nicholls's body.

Then four minutes later Holloway fed Booth and his header deflected for a corner. The ball then went for another corner and from that Drury crossed to the penalty spot and the unmarked Booth headed home off a defender.

Lewes had a scare when a ball straight through their defence found Jeff Goulding, whose shot was well saved by Williams, while Nicholls saved from Booth's sidefoot after another Drury corner. Goulding then blasted a good opening wide.

Tomorrow the Rooks visit another playoffs contender in Braintree. Steve Robinsonson is suspended for the next two games after accruing ten bookings.

Lewes: Williams, Elliott, Hamilton (Simpemba 45), Kennett, Legge, Robinson, Drury, Holloway, O'Connor, Booth (Farrell 86), Cade (Kadi 86). Unused subs: Wormull, Sigere.