Cambridge City fought back from being 2-0 down to earn a gutsy point against fellow play-off contenders Lewes at a breezy Dripping Pan on Tuesday night.

City boss, Gary Roberts named an un-changed starting line-up to that which beat Eastbourne at the weekend, and hoped that his side would claim a maximum return from two difficult trips to Sussex in a matter of days.

The Lewes side included goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt, who had a brief excursion with City last season.

It was Naisbitt who was called into action first out of the two keepers, when as early as the first minute he made an unorthodox headed clearance following a long ball forward from Dale Binns.

Three minutes later, Lewes launched their first attack of the game. Good link-up play involving Newman, Nurse, and then Kadi finished with a shot from skipper Barry Moore that was blocked by Richard Scott.

On 11 minutes, Lewes won a corner, which was taken by Kirk Watts. He found Max Hustwick, who unleashed a shot, forcing City custodian, Duncan Roberts to make a save.

By now, Lewes had the better of the early exchanges, but the home side were shortly going to make an enforced change. City skipper, Matt Langston, went to challenge Jon Nurse and the Lewes number 9 came off worst. With the referee in a good position, the City skipper was shown the yellow card, and after a lengthy stoppage, Nurse was stretchered off and was replaced by Michael Hunter.

What followed was a non-descript passage of play, and it wasn’t until the 26th minute mark that City launched their next meaningful attack. A long ball forward found Sadler on the edge of the Lewes penalty area. With his back to goal, he turned and managed to get a decent shot in, but it was comfortably saved by Naisbitt.

Five minutes later, Lewes launched an attack on the right wing. The ball found Barrington Belgrave, who produced some trickery to find his way into the City penalty box. Having Lee Chaffey for company, he turned him once, but then went down as he attempted to do it for the second time, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Junior Kadi stepped up, and sent Roberts the wrong way and City were now chasing the game.

Things could have potentially got worse for City on 35 minutes. Lee Chaffey went to win a ball in the centre circle, but fell awkwardly. Immediately, you could tell that the City defender was in trouble, and after yet another lengthy stoppage he became the second player of the night to be stretchered from the field. Gary Roberts brought on Brady Stone who teamed up with Matt Langston at the heart of the City defence.

Two minutes after Chaffey had left the field, the referee awarded a free kick against Matt Langston. The resulting free kick, which proved to be the last meaningful action of the first half, almost found Junior Kadi who was in a good position. If the Lewes Centre Forwarded had connected, it would have almost certainly provided a test for Duncan Roberts.

The second half started with City looking to up the tempo and get back in the game, but any possible thoughts of them doing so backfired when two minutes after the interval, a ball forward for the home side found Belgrave who neatly laid it off for Barry Moore. With the Lewes skipper onside, he fired a right-footed shot past Roberts and into the bottom corner of the net.

With the City Fans possibly sensing that this was going to be a night when City would return home with nothing, the team had other ideas, as around 60 seconds after the re-start, City were back in it. A ball forward found Dave Sadler in space and the City striker un-leashead a shot from inside the area that beat Naisbitt and sailed into the top of the net.

City now had the bit between their teeth. Josh Simpson was proving to be a handful for the Lewes defence, as he was attempting to feed Sadler, who by now could sense that Lewes were rocking.

That became a reality on 55 minutes when Duncan Roberts made a long clearance. The ball bounced on or around the edge of the Lewes penalty area. The Lewes defence had trouble dealing with the bounce and Sadler reacted first. With Naisbitt off his line, the City forward showed great awareness to lift the ball over the Lewes custodian and into the empty net to bring City level, and in the process scoring his 3rd goal in the last two starts.

After the equaliser, it was City who continued to press Lewes and the home fans possibly feared the worst when Josh Simpson won a free kick for City in an ominous position on the edge of the box on the hour mark. Richard Scott stepped up to take the resulting set piece but to the relief of the home crowd, the shot was comfortably saved by Naisbitt.

For all City’s pressing, it was Lewes who caused the next goalmouth action. On 64 minutes, Dale Binns brought down Lee Newman, a challenge that earned the City winger a yellow card. From the resulting free kick, Kirk Watts curled it away from Roberts and he had to back pedal and tip it over the bar.

The Lewes managerial team brought on fresh legs on 71 minutes when Lee Farrell replaced Lee Newman.

Four minutes later, good link up play between Sadler and Binns found Sadler again but his shot from outside the area sailed over the bar.

With ten minutes to go, the game could still have gone either way. By this time Lewes had made another substitution with Craig Dobson replacing Junior Kadi.

A minute later, Sadler had a great chance to claim his hat trick and all three points for City. The impressive Josh Simpson played him through and with Sadler finding space once more between the Lewes defenders, he fired a right-footed shot but was foiled this time by Naisbitt.

From that moment on, City looked to be content for a point, but Lewes could have made them pay as the game entered its final stages. Craig Pope gave the ball away and it was won by Lee Farmer. Farmer then had Brady Stone for company and the City substitute brought him down adjacent to the penalty area. Tony Storey took the free kick for the home side but it was headed away to safety. From the resulting move, Lewes won a corner that was taken by Kirk Watts. In what proved to be the last meaningful action of the game, his in-swinging delivery was claimed well by Duncan Roberts who was under pressure from the home side.

Overall, a great comeback by City and a hard earned point in difficult breezy conditions. At the start of the second half it looked as though City would come away with nothing, but with Dave Sadler now returning to goal scoring form, City look a good play off bet and will be looking to cement that even further in the local derby clash at Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday.