Lewes had two players sent off as they went down 4-1 away to Forest Green.

Stand-in skipper Anthony Barness was dismissed for bringing down Andy Mangan for a controversial penalty in the 28th minute.

Barness complained he had won the ball while there was also a strong suspicion of offside against Mangan but the referee dismissed both appeals.

Mangan got up to tuck away the penalty and six minutes later Lee Ayres headed home a second for 2-1 to make it an impossible task for their young visitors.

Their cause was made worse 14 minutes from time when Stefan Cox was shown a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident with substitute Paul Lloyd which was spotted by the linesman.

They were already trailing 3-1 at that stage and the scorer, Mangan, went on to complete his hat-trick.

It completed a miserable afternoon which had started so brightly when Joe Keehan fired the Rooks into a fifth-minute lead.

Skipper Danny Cullip was a late withdrawal due to illness which meant the Rooks were without three first choice defenders.

Left-back Sam Fisk was also missing due to an ankle injury while Chris Breach was serving a one-match ban. In addition, winger David Wheeler was also out having played for English Schools under-18s against Northern Ireland in the Centenary Cup last night.

New signings Josh Jirbandey and Luke Rooney were handed starts after joining on work experience from Peterborough and Gillingham respectively while youth team player Ryan Storrie made his full debut on the right side of a five-man midfield.

The fit again Michael Standing was one of only two players over 22 in a 16-man squad, which included six teenagers in the starting line-up and ten in total.

Lewes were chasing their only double of the season, having beaten Forest Green 3-2 at home in October, and hopes were raised when they went ahead from their first attack after just five minutes as Standing slipped a pass into the path of the advancing Keehan who fired home low into the corner from 20 yards for his sixth goal of the season.

The hosts, with a strong wind at their backs, responded with a shot from Andy Mangan which Rikki Banks saved low down at the expense of a corner.

They had the ball in the net on 20 minutes but Darren Jones was denied by an offside flag.

The turning point of the game came just before the half-hour mark when Barness was shown a straight red card for his challenge on Mangan who tucked away the spot-kick.

Forest Green took advantage of their numerical advantage by going ahead on 36 minutes when Conal Platt's corner flew across the face of goal and Lee Ayres headed home at the back post.

Lewes immediately threatened a response with Stefan Cox flashing a shot across goal after some good play and Luke Rooney firing just wide from 25 yards but Forest Green were on top and in between those chances Rikki Banks saved well at the feet of Mangan.

The hosts started the second half with plenty of possession, as you would expect, but Banks looked solid in goal, saving well from David Brown on the hour mark.

Banks was furious when Forest Green extended their lead on 64 minutes, claiming Mangan was offside when he tapped home from close range after the goalkeeper had palmed out David Brown's shot.

It was now a case of damage limitation and Banks twice saved well as Mangan looked for his hat-trick.

The Lewes was not helped when Cox was shown a straight red card 14 minutes from time.

Mangan completed his hat-trick six minutes from time, knocking home from close range after the excellent Banks had pushed out a shot from Paul Stonehouse.

Given the circumstances and the age of the team, the Rooks did the club proud to battle away for the entire 90 minutes, even threatening in stoppage time through Standing, who was adjudged offside. He could not have been as the ball was played back by a Forest Green defender but that summed up their luck.

Lewes: Banks; Hall, Barness, Jirbandey, Wilkinson (sub Osborn 70); Storrie, Standing, Keehan, Rooney (sub Sutton 70), Cox; Rivers (sub Foreman 79). Subs not used: Bell, Barton.

Forest Green: Burton; Jones (sub Ashford 85), Ayres, Preece, Stonehouse; Mohamed (sub Lloyd 68), Lawless, Fowler, Platt (sub Smith 68), Brown; Mangan. Subs: Rigoglioso, Robinson.

Referee: Wayne Barrett (Worcestershire).