Junior Kadi believes Lewes are too good for Ryman Division One South and, after this performance, few would disagree.

The talented midfielder scored two goals to help the Rooks come from a goal down to beat Premier Division Northwood and progress to round two of the FA Trophy.

Lewes dominated the majority of the game and made easy work of a side which, on paper, was supposed to pose the biggest test so far this season.

Lewes have lost just twice in all competitions since manager Steven King took over in the summer.

They have dropped only seven points in the league leaving them top of the table and favourites to win the title.

Kadi insists his side are already good enough for a higher level of football and his track record suggests he is a good judge.

The 24-year-old has played in the Conference with Woking and in 2000 was part of a Kingstonian side which won the FA Trophy at Wembley.

He said: "I believe the team Steve has built here can definitely play at the level Northwood are and maybe even above.

"This was a nice game to play in because we can prove what we can do against a good team, but we are really just looking to get out of this league this season.

"The sooner we get out the better because everything is set up right at the club and hopefully we can win the league as well."

Kadi marked a superb performance with two spectacular strikes.

His first on 59 minutes was the most vital as it brought Lewes level after they had conceded a sloppy goal by Chris Moore on the stroke of half time.

Danny Davis was tripped on the edge of the Northwood area and Kadi drilled the resulting free kick round the wall and into the top corner.

His second on 73 minutes was even better, however, and came with a little help from his manager.

During the warm-up before the game, King had curled a perfectly weighted 25-yard shot from the right flank into the top left-hand corner and Kadi went out and proved anything the boss can do, he can do too.

Kadi said: "The second goal was a bit special, but to be fair the gaffer did it just before the start of the game.

"He was teasing me about it and I wanted to show I could do it as well, so I did."

King added: "Junior's goals were absolutely top class. His first was important because it started us off in the second half and his second was superb. You just don't expect to see those kind of goals at this level."

Kadi's wonder strike came three minutes after top scorer Lee Newman had scored the first of his two goals to put Lewes in front.

Peter Adeniyi did the hard work down the right wing before squaring for Newman to neatly side-foot past Northwood keeper Rob Bullivant.

Newman put the game beyond doubt in injury time after Rene Street had pulled one back for Northwood with an 83rd minute header from a corner.

Davis shot from the edge of the area and Newman stuck out a leg to deflect the ball into the opposite corner and leave Bullivant wrong-footed for his 15th of the season.

King certainly has the winning ingredients this season and he knows it. He said: "The performance showed that we could easily play at a higher level and do well.

"Northwood were a very solid outfit in terms of organisation, but we have a few weapons in our side that can win us matches. Players like Junior Kadi, Peter Adeniyi, Lee Newman, Danny Davis.

"In the first half it wasn't really happening for them but in the second half we were different class."

King is caught in two minds over whether or not he wants a good run in the competition.

On current form Lewes are capable of bettering last season's performance when they reached the third round and a draw against a big club could give the club a big pay day.

King said: "It would be nice to do will in the competition, but the Conference clubs come into it the next round so you can look at it two ways.

"If you get someone like Aldershot away then you will get about 4,000 people there and you will take half the money from the tie."

Lewes: Jean-Zepherin, Chin, Lovett, Kennett, Davis, Cable, Adeniyi, Watts (Metcalfe 71), Clarke (Soutar 93), Kadi, Newman. Subs not used: Fogden, Kissi, Tanner.

Northwood: Bullivant, Elsegood (Porter 75), Sargent, Street, Evans, Metcalfe, Carter, Gell, Yeoman (Fitzgerald 71), Moore, Knight. Subs not used: Sentance, Watkins.

Referee: R. Lee (Essex)

Attendance: 370
Man-of-the-match: Junior Kadi (Lewes)