Lewes 2, Dorchester 0

Lewes were crowned Blue Square south champions after a 2-0 win at home to Dorchester.

Paul Booth and substitute Jean-Michel Sigere scored the goals which earned the Rooks a place in the top division of non-league football for the first time in their history.

Victory meant Steven King's side have clinched the title with two games to go from long-time rivals Eastbourne Borough.

A nervy affair saw Lewes have to wait 67 minutes for Booth to break the deadlock and there were still one or two scares before Sigere hit a late second.

A crowd of 1,665 erupted with joy as the final whistle went while players celebrated on the pitch with a banner reading We are going up'.

King said: "It feels unbelievable. It wasn't about the performance, it was about getting through games at this stage of the season.

"We showed championship form in the last six games when we had taken 16 points out of 18.

"The first half was poor but we came to life in the second half, caused them problems and it was fitting that the player who scored all the goals this year hit what proved to be the winner."

Lewes stuck with the side that beat Fisher in midweek to put them within touching distance of the title.

Simon Wormull was ruled out after being told on Friday he needs an operation on his injured right ankle but Paul Kennett and Jean-Michel Sigere were back on the bench.

With the visitors knowing they could not afford to lose, the opening period was pretty tense.

In conditions made difficult by a pre-match downpour, Lewes took the game to their opponents and the first real scare for Dorchester came on 16 minutes when goalkeeper Francisco Ramos flapped at a misplaced header but no attacker was able to take advantage.

Top scorer Booth had the chance to add to his 33 goals this season with a free kick from a central position just outside the area but he lifted his effort over the bar.

There was a worrying moment for Lewes ten minutes before the break when Ian Simpemba appeared to pull back Jones Awuah after the former Gillingham striker got behind him but the referee did not spot the offence and Awuah's stumbling shot failed to trouble Michael Jordan.

The first half was one of few real opportunities but Lewes would have been reasonably happy with their efforts at the interval against a side who proved they were not there to roll over.

Dorchester should have gone ahead within four minutes of the restart as Jamie Cumming's cross from the right cleared every defender and fell at the feet of left-back Jake Smeeton, who fluffed a golden chance from six yards.

Jamie Cade blasted high and wide on 55 minutes after an Andy Drury corner arrived at his feet.

Drury then delivered a free kick from the left which former Dorchester man Matt Groves failed to get on the end of.

The Rooks were forced into a change on the hour-mark when Anthony Barness replaced the injured Lewis Hamilton.

It was Barness who delivered the cross which Booth headed home to break the deadlock on 67 minutes.

Suddenly the game came to life with Gary Bowles squandering a chance to level on 67 minutes, planting an unchallenged header wide.

Then Sigere, who had been introduced for Groves, immediately after the goal, drew a save low down from Ramos after linking well with Drury.

There was now a swagger about Lewes but Dorchester continued to pose the threat from the break and Jon Cocker was off-target when well placed.

Cocker also curled a dangerous-looking free kick just past the upright as Lewes' nerves frayed in the closing minutes.

Those nerves were duly settled a minute from time when Booth flicked on a Drury corner and Sigere fired home.

Lewes: Jordan, Conroy, Hamilton, Cade, Robinson, Simpemba, Drury, Holloway, Groves, Booth, Binns. Subs: Barr, Sigere, Legge, Kennett, Barness.

Dorchester: Ramos, Cummings, Smeeton, Clay, Alex Browne, Liburd, Bowles, Jermyn, Awuah, Docker, Gleeson. Subs: Forbes, Nicholson, Peprah-Annan, Rowe, Watts.

Referee: W Atkin (Crawley).

Attendance: 1,665

Are Lewes worthy champions?