The Dripping Pan

Lewes 0-1 Chichester City (Isthmian League Premier Division)

I'm at the cricket between Sussex and Hampshire this week, staying in Hove, I now have the perfect excuse to take a Tuesday night game in at the Dripping Pan. Football's bucket list venue for non league nerds and groundhoppers like me.

I've never been before, but it's long been one to chalk off, the venue often appearing in 'great ground guides' and 'top 100' homes of football to pay a visit, as well as on many social media bio's where football aficionados often rave about the place's wonderful quirks.

I'm telling everyone I talk to "I'm off to Lewes" mentioning to BBC Radio Sussex commentator Adrian Harms on the second morning of our cricket match that tonight is my big night. "They're called the Rooks aren't they". He says. "I did my research last night. There's been one or two stars who have played for Lewes". I tell him. "Harvey out of So Solid Crew. Mark Wright from the Only Way is Essex". Other than Guy Butters, Ian Selly, Jimmy Glass, Lyle Taylor, Jason Puncheon, and Rangers Manager Russell Martin, there's not actually been a host of household 'footballing' names to play for Lewes, but certainly some 'known' players have donned the Red & Black within the dripping pan bowl on a Saturday afternoon.

The club actually reached the National League in 2008 after winning the Conference South. Their only season at the level was short, finishing bottom of the table before another relegation the season after, whilst getting into bad financial difficulty, they were saved by six fans, for just £1 in 2010, who have since turned the club into a community initiative (anyone can own a slice from £50 a year) which is popular especially through the turnstiles and on matchday due largely to it's stunning location and wider appeal to visitors.

As for Chichester, well they have a little less notable past. Formed in 2000 from a side that dates back to 1878, City were a Sussex county side until 2015 but they have since moved up through the Southern Combination and Isthmian South East to sit their second season at the level which is 7 on the pyramid.

Tonight's match is between two sides that have started the season well, whilst Chichester lost at home to Potters Bar on Saturday, Lewes drew 2-2 with Cray Wanderers, both teams outside the playoffs, Lewes in sixth with an eye on promotion this year whilst Chichester are eleventh, five points behind tonight's opponents.

The Venue

Stumps called at the County Ground (day two) for around 6pm so I'm off towards the A27 and East, past the home of Brighton & Hove Albion and signs for Falmer, before entering the beautiful looking village centre of Lewes, a pub on the corner of Southover High Street, the Kings Head looks very appealing, traditional, as I pull up and pay £4.50 on my Ringo app to park a short five minutes walk away.

It's a quaint and quiet walk down the cobbled street, quintessential terraced housing in immaculate condition, before crossing a train bridge which you wouldn't know is there, and the venue, on the right, appears next to a tiny car park, which I was told to avoid, knowing it would be full before I arrive.

You enter at the back of the ground at the stand which kops down to the playing surface in the flat valley below, and I'm scanned by a friendly man and woman who checks my bag, before being greeted by a lady standing alone at the top tier, as I look down to the green playing surface, she asks me if I would like a go on the raffle, or golden goal. "No cash" I say, before she persuades me "we take card". I have a quick chat with her as she notices it's my first time at the stadium. Apparently it's an old salt pan, built into the chalk hills, the mound, behind the ground, which is a 45 foot mount and can be seen from afar, was made by the Monks from the nearby Priory, who used to dig into the salt pan down below and sell their white gold to aristocracy.

You can't really see the Mound from inside the ground, restricted by the quirky roofed stand and clubhouse behind one end, from where you feel high up, looking out to the chalk cliffs beyond brick buildings, to the right is a smart red seated stand, up ahead a small section of open terracing carved into the hillside, on the left you have a walkway, again high up, looking down on the pitch down sat beneath the grassy slope, it really is a place which offers every high vantage point needed, you can see why people come here.

I'm off for a pint, and a pizza, as I'm told at the Rook Inn there's beer and food, both are very good.

As I sit and drink and eat, ahead of the match, players warm up on the lush level and green playing surface, I'm eating a lovely stone baked pizza made in one of two tiny pizza presses, by a lovely lady in a serving hatch, washed down with some locally made lager which has club logo on its pump, I've spent a fortune and I'm here to work, which I forget, a scouting mission can only start, when I'm sat down in the cosy press seated area, to the right of the dugouts a good six or seven rows up, as the match kicks off under dimming skies and soft yellow floodlights, I'm joined by the clubs assistant manager, Nathan White, who's getting an elevated view of the action, ahead of frequently running down to the dugout, to offer another Assistant Manager Ben Austin information. Bradley Pritchard is Lewes Manager and stands in the technical area looking lonely, you wouldn't perhaps know, from his much calmer, quieter persona than others around him, that he's the man in charge.

The Game

It's slow paced and low intensity which has Nathan White seething, he looks a nervous wreck doing doggies down and back up from the technical area every few minutes before checking a message he gets off his iwatch, probably off his wife, Lewes are neat in possession, they play a 3-5-2 which stretches their opponents who themselves sit off and play for containment, without really looking to penetrate the Lewes back line.

The home side have chances, Perry Iandolo curls a right footed free kick low, which is saved well by Kieran Magee. Ryan Bernal flashes a header wide from a corner, then two big opportunities for Kaan Bennett, twice one on one, twice Magee gets the better of the young striker.

The Score

Despite the missed opportunities, I'm impressed with 21-year-old Bennett, a player who drops deep for the ball, who glides lovely along the surface and looks to play through low passes to split defences. Formerly of Colchester United, I ask the Assistant Manager "does he score enough goals?". "He will do" is his reply. Between screaming out instructions to down below, White tells me "it's a completely new side" from last season and there's a lot of young players on show. Another impressing, is left wing back Antonio Morgan who has brilliant feet, technical, quick, powerful, only 19, he's got a few levels in his tank still to reach I feel.

Despite having a lot of the ball, and a few chances, Lewes aren't great, and Chichester take encouragement by going in at half time nil nil.

And in the second half, it's the away side who's kick up the back side, has them on the front foot. Suddenly Lewes are having to defend, and don't look entirely comfortable, as Bello launches in a few long throws, a couple of corners are collected, Louis Rogers is forced into action, not once, but twice, but on 65 Emmett Dunn lashes out at a Lewes player off the ball, he receives red to the cheers behind the goal. That should work in the favour of Lewes, who have a lot more of the ball, but don't get through the now stern deep defending Chichester defence, led by big Ben Pashley who's having an excellent game at centre half.. They sit behind the ball and wait for one chance, which comes, eventually, somehow, on 82, when Isaac Bello gets the luck of the bounce. He's run through from half way after an incentive pass by Rowlatt, still running the gaps in the Lewes defence have widened, Bello suddenly has just the keeper to beat, and beats him, to surprise the majority of the home crowd, and put the visitors one up.

That brilliant goal is perhaps the icing on the cake on a night like this which I've seen many times before, for Lewes they huff and puff, but don't have that killer edge, to put sides like Chichester away, who themselves, well drilled, have came out during the second half and got exactly what they deserve, even better with ten men, a victory that moves them up to seventh, two points behind Lewes.

The Stars

Wide man Isaac Bello has a good game for Chichester and takes his goal superbly, he has pace and tenacity and is pretty useful chucking balls into the box. Ben Pashley is decent at centre back whilst Kieran Magee in goal is called upon to do his job brilliantly at times. It's not a great showing in possession from Chichester, but off the ball they work hard as a team and look very well drilled.

In possession, it's been a night where Lewes have dominated. All three in midfield looks competent and neat, Iandolo grows into the game coming deep and getting on the ball to start momentum, he's a really good player, Finlay Chadwick who I've seen previously for Worthing is busy with a good engine, Cameron Andrews beside him looks to play forward, likes a tackle, is good on the ball, but all three you feel do similar things, and they lack a real leader of experience in the heart beat of the engine room.

Defensively they sit too deep for me, but that's because the ageing Ian Gayle, middle of a three, wants it that way. Right sided centre back Jack Burchell is very good, I like their left sided defender Clem Asiedu, who's tenacious but not overly comfortable to watch on the ball, I'm not sure if he would be better as an out and out full back, as opposed to playing in a back three.

Out wide, Antonio Morgan is really good, a star asset on the left and a player to keep an eye on, Ryan Bernal has his moments, not short of ability on the right, but not nearly enough on the night, whilst in attack Kaan Bennett has some serious football IQ. I was also impressed by substitute Arezki Hamouchene who looks to be a tidy little playmaker in that ten role.

The Verdict

I highly recommend a visit to Lewes, to take a good look around the Dripping Pan, to probably make a day of it and have a few beers too (there's a train station within walkable distance which is useful), because it seems it's a place where if you love football, the football comes second, it's all about the look and feel of the surroundings that surround you and taking it all in, is a huge part of the enjoyment which football brings, from a wider perspective.

That said, worth watching, Lewes have a capable team this year, if not in need of one or two experienced heads, whilst Chichester had guts and determination, they are a side that could easily upset a few in the division this season, both, I would expect to give promotion an outside push from afar.

The Teams

Lewes: Louis Rogers, Ryan Bernal, Jack Burchell, Ian Gayle, Clem Asiedu, Antonio Morgan, Finlay Chadwick (Mark Swainston 59), Cameron Andrews (Arezki Hamouchene 59), Perri Iandolo (Devonte West 82), Kaan Bennett, Charlie Walker.

Chichester City: Kieran Magee, Ryan Davidson, Rob Hutchings, Joe Clark, Jamie Horncastle, Ben Pashley, Isaac Bello, Emmett Dunn, Lewis Russell (Joe Moore 46), Lloyd Rowlatt, Ethan Pritchard (Theo Baines 90).

7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 9th September 2025, The Dripping Pan, Lewes (att: 567).