Double winning weekend for Lewes FC – but women are out of Conti Cup

Tony Russell’s team notched another Isthmian premier win as Joe Taylor’s double – taking his tally to 15 for the season – clinched a 2-0 win over Corinthian-Casuals.

Next day Scott Booth’s Women’s Championship outfit won 1-0 at Southampton (see report on right).

The men’s team – who were denied the chance of another home win in the week when Canvey Island’s planned visit was ruled out by bad weather – are up to eighth in the table.

They’re at home again tomorrow, weather permitting, with struggling Brightingsea the visitors.

The Rooks’ women did suffer a midweek setback, losing 1-0 at home to Bristol City to exit the Conti Cup. But they go to Charlton in the league on Sunday in a healthy sixth spot.

Women’s boss Scott Booth said: “It was a little bit bittersweet on Sunday; we get three points, away from home, against a tough side, a really good side, but don’t play well.

“We’ve set high standards in terms of what we do with the ball and our possession work. We feel like we didn’t do that well at all but the players worked incredibly hard to retain the points which was the key thing.

“In six weeks’ time we will remember we got the three points, not the performance, so it was really key we did that.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do in terms of making sure we keep our standards really high.”

Booth was full of praise for Sophie Whitehouse, the side’s star player at Southampton.

“She’s been really consistent and a really good person as well. She wants to work hard for the team and be a leader, she led by example without a doubt on Sunday with another great performance,” he said.

Booth is now looking forward to Sunday’s tussle with Charlton.

“The league is so competitive – we’ve seen already this season that just about any team can beat any team, and that’s the mentality you go into the games with,” he said. “It’s tough having three games in a week no matter how you look at it … it is difficult but it’s difficult for every team involved.

"We just take every game as it comes.”