Lewes' fightback against Hornchurch gives boss Russell great hope for season

The Rooks completed a fantastic fightback against Hornchurch turning around the deficit and earning a very valuable point.

Manager Russell knew his side had it in them: “[At half time] I just said to them we need to liven up. We work from playing out the back and we have got out every single time and we are working through their midfield.”

Hornchurch have looked impressive throughout the whole season so far, so Russell was particularly impressed with his side for coping against them and showing that fight and determination he expects from his side. “They are a good side and in fact they’re probably the best in the league.

“You have to take heart from it and there’s two reasons - A) We are 2-0 down and we come back and B) we did it against one of the best sides in the league.”

One man that certainly stood out in the impressive performance was Razzaq Coleman De-Graft who showed his class all game, particularly with a very well-taken goal to spur on the comeback. Joe Taylor got the other Rooks goal in the dying minutes.

Russell spoke about his turnaround into being a regular first team player saying: “Ollie Tanner was loved here last year, and he has taken over. He was a bit of an understudy last year and this year he’s stepped up.

“He just doesn’t give in. He’s so strong for a 22-year-old. He’s a brute.”

Lewes did suffer a blow with Deon Moore coming off in the first half with an injury. Moore seemed to pick up a hamstring tweak on Saturday but seemed okay to startin midweek. Russell revealed after the game that he’d felt ‘a bit of pain’ in his hamstring.

That could add to Lewes’ ever growing list of unavailable players, with missing players being a massive part of their season so far.

However, Russell will be pleased with the midweek point – which followed a 2-0 home win over Margate at the weekend – taking them into 12th place in the Isthmian League table with up to two games in hand on some of the teams ahead of them.

A good string of results in those games in hand could put them as high as fourth. “We have a good side here,” said Russell who takes the team to Chesham in the FA Trophy at the weekend.