Bawling double secures win...
The Reds ran out 3-1 winners on Tuesday evening against Lewes at the Dripping Pan in their latest pre-season friendly.
A first-half brace from Bobson Bawling had handed Drummy’s men the lead at the break – but an improved second half showing from the hosts saw Dan Perry’s goal push the visiting side all the way in a testing 90 minutes and it was left to Billy Clifford to grab the visitors a late goal that secured the win.
Dermot Drummy fielded an entirely different starting XI to the one that fell to a 3-2 defeat at home to Millwall on Saturday, as he made a full set of changes for the game against the Rooks.
Mitchell Beeney began in goal, with a back four of Ayran Tajbakhsh, trialist Danny Pappoe, Addison Garnett and Chris Arthur in front of him.
Josh Yorwerth and Yaleny Baio – another trialist, were deployed ahead of them in the defensive midfield positions.
Alper Tursun, Billy Clifford and Bobson Bawling formed the attacking trio who operated in behind the returning Matt Harrold up front for the visiting side. It was the striker’s first start since injury in April.
The Reds took the lead just two minutes into the contest.
to put Drummy’s men ahead.Bobson BawlingTursun was alive to a loose ball from the home defence and he found the run of Harold in behind the hosts. The striker held off the attentions of the home defence, before squaring the ball to the far-post to allow
.BawlingThe lead was doubled just before the 20-minute mark. Tursun once again found space down the right-hand side, and he kept his composure well to find the run of
The midfielder calmly clipped the ball over the on-rushing home keeper and down the middle of the goal to hand the visitors a two-goal lead.
Drummy was forced into making a change soon after, as Addison Garnett was had to withdraw through injury. It meant that Josh Yorwerth moved from defensive midfield and into the back four – Jimmy Smith entered the action after 25 minutes as a result.
Despite trailing by two goals, the Ryman South side continued to give the visitors a stern test, keeping a recognisable shape when out of possession.
Having been deployed at full-back rather than in the centre of midfield, Ayran Tajbakhsh did well to create space down the right for himself ten minutes before the break. His ball in narrowly evaded Harrold in the area – the striker was unable to make contact with the cross having been well-marshalled the home defence.
Jimmy Smith’s ball in from the left-hand side then caused problems for the Rooks’ backline, but Yorwerth’s shot at the far-post was well saved by home keeper Chris Winterton.
The familiar duo of Tursun and Bawling combined again moments later – the move resulting in the former’s shot being well stopped as Chris Winterton did well to make himself big in goal once more.
The final chance of the half fell to Bawling but the danger was snuffed out and the whistle went for the break with the Reds two goals to the good.
Drummy withdrew Harrold at half-time, and the forward was replaced by new signing James Collins.
Clifford had the Reds’ first chance of the second period. The ever-dangerous Tursun once again worked sme space on the right, and he squared for the newest Reds recruit.
The former Chelsea midfielder saw his first shot blocked by a defender, before his follow up was brilliantly kept out by Winterton in the home goal.
Lewes began to come back into the contest thereafter – and Dan Perry came close to halving the deficit. A corner from the left was well met by the Rooks’ player but Beeney did superbly to dive away to his right and palm away the effort.
At the other end, Yorwerth got a free run from Clifford’s corner from the right, but the home defence did well to block the danger from the set piece.
Josh Payne entered the action with 20 minutes to play after Smith was withdrawn – no doubt with Saturday’s final game against Aldershot Town in mind.
The Rooks soon got the goal that their second half display had deserved after 72 minutes. Perry, who had looked dangerous all evening, kept his composure on the right-hand side of the area and fired past Beeney to get his side back into the contest.
It was the home side who continued in the ascendency and both Yorwerth and Tursun had to be alert to clear the danger.
But it was the Reds who restored their two-goal advantage with just four minutes to play. Collins took advantage of a tiring home defence before round Winterton and squaring the ball to Clifford in the centre.
The midfielder kept his composure and slotted into the roof of the net to round off the scoring for the evening.
There was still time for late substitute Payne to go close - but his shot was straight at Winterton who was being kept busy in the closing stages.
Reds: Beeney; Tajbakhsh, Pappoe (Trialist), Garnett (Smith 25 – then replaced by Payne after 70 minutes), Arthur; Baio (Trialist), Yorwerth; Tursun, Clifford, Bawling; Harold © (Collins 45).
Subs not used: Mersin; Young, McNerney, Blackman, Boldewijn.
Attendance: 353
