Despite a storming finale, City, masters of the smash and grab raid on their travels, were beaten at their own game by a slick Lewes side in a thrilling Milton Road encounter.

Chasing a fourth consecutive league win the Lilywhites kept faith with the team that overcame Havant on Saturday with Craig Pope playing his final game before suspension.

The Rooks came into the match on the back of a six game unbeaten run, ending Weston-Super-Mare’s unbeaten home record on Saturday, thanks to a Barrington Belgrave brace, in the process.

City started much more brightly than they had at the weekend, getting the ball down and pinning Lewes back with their pace and movement in the opening stages. As early as the third minute Dale Binns raced onto Robbie Simpson’s flicked header only to be bundled over in the box but referee Mr Barnes waved away penalty appeals.

Richard Scott then robbed Paul Kennett in centre field and spotting Scott Ward off his line attempted a lob which sailed narrowly over the bar.

Carl Williams’ tenacity then won the Lilywhites a free kick wide on the right and from Richard Scott’s accurate delivery Dave Sadler was foiled at the near post by a good defensive header from Jay Lovett.

Kennett then felled Binns some twenty-five yards out, Scott rolled the resultant free kick to Sadler who saw a rising drive beaten away by Ward at full stretch.

Having weathered the early storm the Rooks then served notice of their ability as a counter attacking side, Lovett overlapped down the right wing and collected Craig Dobson’s pass before angling a dangerous centre across the face of goal forcing Craig Pope to clear at the expense of a corner.

Midway through the opening period another Scott free kick had the Lewes defence on the back foot, in an attempt to clear, the ball was forced skywards and backwards allowing the alert Robbie Simpson to climb impressively and power a header past the stranded Ward only for his effort to cannon off the underside of the bar and down onto the goal line.

To add insult to injury, having been denied an opening goal by the woodwork City were then caught on the counter as Lewes grabbed the lead. The impressive Kirk Watts burst through the inside left channel and unleashed a fierce cross shot which Duncan Roberts did well to parry. The Lilywhites effected a partial clearance but were unable to regain their shape and as the ball was worked to the right hand edge of the area, visiting skipper Barry Moore found himself with the space and time to drill low to Roberts’ right and into the corner of the net.

City were very much shaken out of their stride and the rocky period that followed culminated in the visitors grabbing a second goal that left the hosts with a mountain to climb. Barrington Belgrave’s astute lay off sent Dodson racing clear behind Lee Summerscales on the Lilywhites’ left, his low centre took Duncan Roberts out of the game and presented Watts with the simple task of sliding the ball home at the far post.

City roared back and within a minute of conceding, Robbie Simpson’s persistence took him through two challenges before he charged down Ward’s attempted clearance, but the teenage striker was forced wide and had to be content with a corner. Richard Scott’s flag kick was only partly cleared and Matt Langston who had stayed forward played a neat one-two with Dale Binns who fired in low to the feet of Dave Sadler at the near post, but the Lilywhites’ leading marksman could only divert his shot narrowly wide of the upright.

There was to be no reduction in the arrears before the interval however and despite Carl Williams’ drive which was safely claimed by Ward, the only other incident of note was a stand-off between Binns and Belgrave which earned both players a caution.

Lewes were ready for the inevitable onslaught after the break and held City at arm’s length in the opening exchanges, Robbie Simpson’s despairing lunge at Dale Binns’ centre the nearest the hosts came to a threat on goal.

It was Simpson again with the next half chance as he collected Lee Summerscales’ cross with his back to goal but his shot on the turn sailed harmlessly into the night sky.

With just over an hour played Lewes came close to killing the game stone dead, with City pushing forward a swift break saw Belgrave wrong foot Glenn Fuff and create space for a dipping drive from the edge of the box, only Duncan Roberts impressive one-handed parry keeping the Lilywhites in the contest.

Gary Roberts then chose to make a double switch in a last ditch attempt to get back into the game. The introduction of Jon Stevenson and Alex Fiddes at the expense of Lee Summerscales and Richard Scott saw the hosts switch to a 3-4-3 formation.

Within five minutes of the change City were back in the game. Matt Langston’s searching centre drew Ward off his line but he always looked second favourite to get to the ball behind Carl Williams whose determined leap set up Jon Stevenson in front of the net and the former Leicester striker powered home an unstoppable header despite the best efforts of Francis Duku to protect his goal.

With the best part of fifteen minutes still to play a resurgent City seemed favourites to score the next goal but within moments of halving the deficit disaster struck and Lewes restored their two goal advantage. With space available down the flanks as a result of the switch to three at the back Belgrave caught the Lilywhites napping with a surging run down the right. A fantastic recovery from Dale Binns saw him not only get back on terms with the pacy former Southend striker but also nick the ball away from him. However, spurning the opportunity to clear to safety Binns sought to launch a counter attack from deep inside his own box and was caught in possession trying to carry the ball clear, presenting Belgrave with the opportunity to gleefully slide a neat shot underneath Roberts to make the score 3-1.

Despite this devastating blow City’s heads never dropped as they tore back at their opponents and with seven minutes remaining a period of sustained pressure resulted in recently introduced substitute Peter Adeniyi making a rash challenge on Rob Miller some five yards from the referee presenting Mr Barnes with one of his easier decisions of the night as he pointed to the penalty spot. Cool under pressure Jon Stevenson struck a text book place kick to the right of Ward and into the corner of the net.

Two minutes later, with his team clinging on desperately at 3-2, Anthony Storey went straight over the top of the ball on Craig Pope. Having been previously carded just after the hour mark, it was only a question of which card would be shown first, yellow or red. The inevitable dismissal followed with the visiting striker presumably taking time out to reflect on his recklessness during the most elongated departure since Chelsea sacked Claudio Ranieri.

Despite a significant amount of injury time rightly added on to the standard 90 minutes, City’s endeavours failed to produce an equaliser, increasing the pressure to get a result from Saturday’s visit to Grays if they are to stay in touch with the leaders, whilst at the same time looking over their shoulders at tonight’s impressive opponents who are now breathing down their necks.