Lewes ended Grays' run of 18 successive League matches without defeat by twice fighting back from a goal down at The Dripping Pan.
Blues had not tasted Conference South defeat since losing at home to Cambridge City before Christmas and manager Mark Stimson was more disappointed by dropping their unbeaten tag in 2005 than falling just short of 100 points.
The result leaves Athletic on 95 points with one game left, but Stimson stressed: “The most important thing to us was winning the league and we’d won it with 32 points I’d have settled for that!
â€We scored a couple of good goals but we weren’t at our best and Lewes deserved their win because they played well on the night.â€
To be fair, only three of the Grays starting line-up are likely to keep their places for the FA Trophy final and one of those, Mitchell Cole, played most of the game up front rather than out wide.
Danny Davis, the former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder, twice went close for Lewes before Grays went ahead midway through the first half.
Cole did well to fashion an opening and rifled in a low shot towards the far corner which Scott Ward parried but Dean Brennan followed up to slot home.
Lewes levelled four minutes later when Davis crossed and Francis Duku headed powerfully home at the far post.
Barrington Belgrave shot just over for Lewes before Brennan struck again on 74 minutes with a 25-yard shot that curled past Ward’s right hand and in off the post.
This time it took Lewes only two minutes to equalise as Belgrave capped a fine move, racing onto Paul Kennett’s chip before volleying first-time over Carl Emberson. Kennett also made the winner with a cross for Lee Farrell after 82 minutes, and Kirk Watts almost added a fourth as Lewes broke a minute from time.
This was only the sixth away league game all season that Grays failed to win, but the third in Sussex, following draws at Eastbourne Borough & Bognor Regis Town.
Given that fact, Blues maybe relieved that Lewes’ failure to meet strict ground-grading rules means the Rooks will not be able to join them in the Conference national as they not permitted to play in the end-of-season play-offs.
Thanks to the Thurrock Gazette for the report.
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