Steven King hailed the performance of Anthony Storey after Lewes beat Eastbourne Borough 2-1 to go second in Conference south.

Former Middlesbrough and Dunfermline midfielder Storey scored what turned out to be the winner as Lewes stretched their unbeaten run in the league to nine games in front of a bumper 1,311 crowd at Priory Lane.

His 13th-minute free-kick put the Rooks 2-0 ahead against a home side who had not lost in their previous nine matches.

The goal was even sweeter for Storey, who spent a month on loan at Borough earlier in the season.

Boss King said: "Anthony has had to make the transition from pro football to non-league which is a massive thing.

"Sending him to Eastbourne Borough was great for him as he did really well. Since coming back to us he has carried on that form and has been tremendous over the last three or four games."

It took Lewes just three minutes to go ahead as Storey's free-kick from the right fell to big defender Max Hustwick who hooked home a tremendous shot into the top corner.

Ten minutes later Rooks doubled their advantage from another free-kick needlessly conceded by Ollie Rowland. From a central position, Storey lifted the ball over the wall and past an outstretched Lee Hook.

It could have been all over in the first 20 minutes as Darren Baker's last-ditch tackle denied Luke Cornwall and Stuart Tuck headed out under pressure from Storey, whose free role behind a solitary striker seemed to cause Borough problems.

In the second half Borough fought back with strikers Scott Ramsay and Loui Fazakerley coming more into the game.

As the home pressure built, Lewes keeper Scott Ward made two crucial saves in a minute, back-pedalling to touch Rowland's lifted effort on to the bar and then keeping out Tuck's header from the resultant corner.

Fazakerley reduced the deficit five minutes from time with a delightful curler from 25 yards to set up a grandstand finish but Lewes held on.

Storey said: "I don't think I have known a team spirit like we have here. It is tremendous.

"We had to lose a couple of players from the squad but we have all pulled together since then."

Eastbourne Borough: Hook, Baker, Tuck, Smart (sub Crabb 63), Playford, Smith (sub Beck 63), Simmonds, Chapman, Ramsay, Fazakerley, Rowland. Subs not used: Myall, Brady, Lightwood.

Lewes: Ward, Lovett, Harvey, Hustwick, Duku, Kennett, Dobson, Moore, Storey (sub Kadi 75), Cornwall, Watts (sub Belgrave 68). Subs not used: Whiteman, Vines, Newman.

Referee: H. Lennard (Banstead).

Man-of-the-match: Anthony Storey (Lewes).