Danny Cullip tends to save his goalscoring for cup matches.

The former Albion skipper opened his Lewes account in Saturday’s 2-1 FA Trophy first round win at Team Bath.

It was his first goal since scoring for Sheffield United in an FA Cup win against Aston Villa at Bramall Lane nearly four years ago.

And Seagulls supporters will also remember a real cracker in an FA Cup tie against Rushden at Withdean in December 2001.

Saturday’s Trophy tie was the first cup game Cullip had played for the Rooks due to injuries which have dogged him since joining in the summer.

But his goal was low on the list of priorities for player-coach Cullip after the game.

A third win in four matches – make that four out of five if you include the Senior Cup tie at Selsey – helped the growing confidence within the Lewes squad as well as bagging much-needed prize money of £5,000 for reaching the second round.

Victory was achieved with six players missing including injured on-loan Albion striker Sam Gargan, the suspended Aswad Thomas and experienced defender Anthony Barness, who dropped out on the morning of the game due to illness.

While the club’s off-the-field problems show little sign of improving, Cullip is delighted with the progress they are making on the pitch.

He said: “It is all about confidence. We have quite a few young players and guys who haven’t played at this level before so even though we have played 22 league games it is still a learning curve for them.

“It has been very rare this season that we have had our first XI out but when we have we are a match for most teams in the division. I am not going to get carried away but we are competitive. We just don’t carry injuries as well as most clubs.

“Defensively we are sound now. All successful teams build from the back but it is not just the back four, defending starts from the front. Cham (Fenelon) is playing up front on his own which is a hard job and he is running his socks off.

“I seem to save my goals for cup competitions but I’m just pleased we got the result. We have had three games in a week so we didn’t really want a replay on Tuesday. Now we can have a good week’s training and hopefully everyone will be right for next Saturday when we have a big game against Woking.”

Manager Kevin Keehan handed starts to two of the under-18s side who gave Hull City a real scare in the FA Youth Cup a week ago and included a third on the bench.

While David Wheeler and Tim Rivers did not set the world alight, both acquitted themselves well and their presence gives supporters something to latch on to.

Lewes have slipped on a couple of banana skins this season, notably Leiston in the FA Cup, so it was another sign of their development that they overcame a Team Bath outfit going well in Blue Square south.

The match, which was given the go-ahead after an early morning pitch inspection, was not a classic but Lewes were comfortable winners.

It did not look that way early on after Dean Smith headed the hosts into a 13th-minute lead but once Cullip equalised from Michael Standing’s corner midway through the first half Lewes were in charge.

They certainly bossed the second half without creating too many chances and the goal they deserved came 13 minutes from time came when substitute Stefan Cox’s cross was handled and Standing tucked away the penalty for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Keehan acknowledged the contribution of Cullip after the game.

He said: “Losing Danny for all those games didn’t help at all. I am sure we would have had another six points if Danny had been fit for all the games. That is just him being there but the confidence that would have bred as well might have given everyone else a lift.

“We are learning as a team, I am learning as a manager and winning becomes a good habit.

“We don't want to get carried away. We are improving and that is all we can do.”

Lewes: Banks; Breach, Cullip, Hinshelwood, Wallis-Tayler; Wheeler (sub Cox 63), Keehan, Rivers, Tabiri, Standing; Fenelon. Subs not used: Lyons, Clark, Foreman.

Booked: Rivers (90, foul).

Team Bath: Chitty, Lock, Warren, El-Abd, Lake (sub Caton 89); Perrott, Smith, Canham, Ake (sub Llewellyn 66); Benison, Cooper (sub Thomson 80). Subs not used: Thorne, Meredith.

Booked: Warren (77, dissent).