Gwalia United were narrowly beaten 3-2 by Lewes in a close and competitive contest, despite a spirited performance that showed plenty of attacking intent and resilience. The home side made the perfect start and took the lead inside the opening five minutes. Tia Asker delivered an inviting cross into the box, and Keira O’Keefe showed great technique to control and volley the ball into the net, giving Gwalia an early advantage.
Lewes, however, responded quickly. Just six minutes later, Leah Lane drove forward into the penalty area and finished confidently past Benni Haaland to bring the visitors level. The remainder of the first half was evenly matched, with both sides enjoying spells of possession and creating chances, but neither could find a second goal before the break.
The game shifted shortly after half-time. Lewes took the lead five minutes into the second half when Paula Howells found the net, putting Gwalia on the back foot. The visitors continued to press, and although Haaland produced an excellent double save to keep her side in the game, Lewes extended their lead on 64 minutes. Lane grabbed her second of the afternoon, reacting quickest in the box to finish from close range and make it 3-1.
Despite the setback, Gwalia continued to push forward and showed real determination in the closing stages. Changes from the bench injected fresh energy, and the home side began to apply pressure. With four minutes remaining, Gwalia were rewarded for their persistence. Asker once again delivered a dangerous ball into the area, and Lewes defender Rebekah Trewhitt deflected Tia Asker’s shot into her own net, reducing the deficit to 3-2.
That late goal set up a tense finish, with Gwalia pressing for an equaliser, but Lewes held firm to secure the points. There were clear positives for Gwalia to take from the performance, and attention now turns to next Sunday’s away trip to Real Bedford Women.
