7:40am Monday 3rd November 2008
By Mike Legg
Manager Kevin Keehan does not expect to get the sack today when he attends an emergency meeting of the Lewes board.
Keehan says the club’s financial situation will be be top of the agenda following their costly FA Cup exit to Leiston last week.
Rooks are rooted to the foot of the Blue Square premier table following Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Wrexham but the Lewes boss said: “I don’t know whether my position will get discussed or not.
“I am invited to the meeting and I think monetary issues will be the major thing for us.
“I guess it will be more about that but who knows? They don't normally invite you to the board meeting to sack you so that is probably not going to happen.
“But that’s not my decision.”
The Rooks were undone by two goals from set-pieces at the famous old Racecourse Ground despite Adam Hinshelwood making an impressive debut in the centre of defence after joining on loan from Albion.
Shaun Whalley applied the final touch to Ashley Westwood’s header from a Wes Baynes corner to put the Dragons ahead on 18 minutes and, from an almost identical corner, Mike Williams send a towering header past Rikki Banks on 68 minutes to seal victory.
Keehan complained about both goals, with his defenders claiming they were blocked off on both occasions.
He was also angered by a red card for debutant midfielder Joseph Tabiri, who joined on loan from Barnet on Friday.
Tabiri got his first yellow card after 23 minutes of the first half but felt harshly treated when he picked up his second for a foul on Angelos Tsiaklis, a loan capture from Manchester City, on 65 minutes.
He claimed he got a toe to the ball first but referee Harwood waved away his protests to dish out a second card.
Wrexham took full advantage, almost scoring from Baynes’ resultant free-kick, which Banks shovelled round a post, before adding their second from the corner.
It was galling for the Rooks, who thought they had equalised four minutes into the second half when Steve Elliott latched onto Jack Compton’s teasing free-kick to steer the ball past Wrexham keeper Gavin Ward.
Elliott’s celebrations were curtailed by the assistant’s flag for offside.
Despite the defeat to a Wrexham side which have now won all four of their league games under new manager Dean Saunders, Keehan felt there were grounds for optimism.
He said: “I think with the sending off, Joe clearly played the ball for the second tackle. It kills you but when it goes against you.
“Wrexham are a great side with a great tradition and we have come here and feel we were not outplayed until we went down to ten men.
“It’s disappointing to concede those two goals and not get the one we deserved.
“I thought Adam Hinshelwood was outstanding. He is a 100% genuine lad and I have known him for a long time.
“He is highly thought of at the Albion but has horrendous injury problems and they tell me he has a permanent limp, although I didn’t notice it today!
“When you think we didn’t have our top three earners playing – Danny Cullip, Michael Standing and Scott Taylor – it looks promising again when they come back.
“Hopefully we can turn the corner – again.
“We look forward to having everyone fit, hopefully, in two weeks’ time and it gives us a couple of weeks to prepare.”
Another positive for Keehan was the return of Chamal Fenelon after the club deemed the two games he has missed were sufficient punishment following an incident after their Senior Cup clash with Wick.
Wrexham: Ward, Baynes, Louis, Whalley, Taylor, Mackin, Mike Williams, Marc Williams (Spann 85), Westwood, De Laet, Tsiaklis Subs not used: Antony Williams, Evans, Proctor, Smith.
Lewes: Banks, Barness, Breach (Bell 74), Keehan, Fenelon, Elliot (Sackey 85), Cox, Hinshelwood, Thomas (Richards 87), Compton, Tabiri Subs not used: Wallis-Tayler, Sackey, Bell, Barton Bookings: Tabiri (foul) 23; Thomas (foul) 53; Cox (foul) 62; Tabiri (foul) 65. Red card: Tabiri 65
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