Will Champness scored a dramatic winner after the full-time whistle had been blown as Lewes snatched victory in their first league derby with Brighton for more than a decade.

Champness hit a sizzling short corner strike to clinch a 3-2 victory for the hosts which kept them third in South Premier division one.

It was a cruel blow for Brighton who had dominated the second half and always looked the more likely winners after fighting back from 2-0 down.

Lewes were good value for their two-goal advantage inside 14 minutes, although the second goal was a howler as far as Brighton were concerned.

But, with South African international Charl van der Merwe pulling the strings in midfield, Brighton produced a fightback which deserved nothing less than a point.

The game lacked a real derby atmosphere, although perhaps it could have been predicted.

Lewes, by their own admission are playing for fun this year while Brighton, for the first time in five years, are not challenging at the top of the table.

Both should achieve their goals this season. Brighton, in their first year at this level, will survive with plenty to spare and a top half finish is within their grasp.

Lewes are trying to rebuild and to put smiles backs on faces after a couple of years in the doldrums and both should be accomplished.

Player-coach Luke Hurle is aware his side could go joint top if they won their game in hand but will not be drawn on their promotion chances.

He said: "It is still very much a consolidation period for us. We have to have the young players coming through. There is no point going up if we don't have the strength in depth.

"We have said we just want to enjoy ourselves this year but we still have that competitive edge. The aim is to win as many games as we can and see where that takes us.

"I was pleased with the first - half performance. Some of our attacking play was the best we have seen this season.

"However, I am frustrated because Brighton changed their tactics in the second half and we didn't adapt. Nicking games like this is not something we have had the luck with in the last three or four years so we will take it now."

Lewes went ahead on six minutes when a Ryan Standing free-hit from the right was superbly deflected into the net by Adrian Bettesworth.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0 when a blunder from Brighton goalkeeper Chris Choyce, which followed some equally sloppy play from his defenders, allowed Simon Hobden a soft second.

Yellow cards played a key part in this game as Lewes were down to ten men each time Brighton scored while the visitors were without player-coach during a period in the second half when they forced a succession of short corners.

Lewes' Marnix Achterberg was taking time out when Brighton's strong finish to the first half culminated in a short corner strike from Craig-Carolan which made it 2-1 two minutes before the break.

Carolan, unhappy at some of the umpiring throughout, was absent for Brighton's first three short corners early in the second half following an outburst of dissent but was back on to play a hand in the equaliser on 53 minutes. His short corner strike was stopped on the line by Standing but the ball was recycled and ended with Kevin Browne firing home.

Brighton piled forward in search of a winner but instead went home empty handed.

A controversial short corner was awarded to Lewes just before the end. When the umpire ordered a re-take, he blew for full-time at the same point, meaning Brighton just had to survive until the ball become dead but Champness broke their hearts to steal victory.