What has gone wrong at Lewes? Rooks have lost four of their last five league games and are four points off the top in division one south.

Nobody, including manager Steven King, seems to have an answer Earlier this season, Lewes seemed to be champions-in-waiting.

They dropped just seven points from their first 19 games and were five points clear at the top of the table.

King admitted: "I don't know what has happened. I wish I had a magic potion to make us play like we did at the beginning of the season.

"I don't think it's about lack of commitment or effort. It's mistakes by us and we seem to give ourselves a mountain to climb in every game."

The players are also struggling to know what is wrong. Captain Paul Kennett said: "I don't know what it is. There is not a lack of confidence in the side because we don't go out there expecting to lose.

"We start games too slowly and then there's the odd lack of concentration and we concede goals. That leaves us chasing games which is very hard to do."

But on Saturday, the clues were there for all to see.

Key players Junior Kadi, Kirk Watts and Justin Harris were missing thorough suspension, while captain Marc Cable and Joe Vines were injured. Top scorer Lee Newman, with 29 goals this season, was on the bench with an ankle problem.

Injuries and suspensions to almost half the side are bound to have an adverse affect. So is the way the absentees are replaced.

Striker Ali Chaaban and Barry Moore were both making their debuts, bringing the number of players King has used this season to an incredible 42.

Chaaban, a Lebanon international signed from Farnborough this week, and Moore, a former England semi-professional international who has been sidelined for eight months with knee damage, are undoubtedly useful additions to the side.

But the effect of fielding a changed team from one week to the next has been reflected in results.

Another clue was highlighted in the first 11 minutes of the game. King is first to admit that defensive errors have cost his side dear in recent weeks. They have conceded more goals than any team in the top nine.

Two more lapses gave Tooting what turned out to be an unassailable lead.

First a slip from Jay Lovett on seven minutes allowed Eben Allen to flick a long ball to the overlapping Craig Tanner, who was left all alone to fire into the bottom corner.

Tooting doubled their lead three minutes later when Lovett failed to get enough power on a headed clearance and Allen nipped in to stroke the ball past Dominique Jean-Zepherin.

The Rooks keeper was involved in the next mistake at the back on 28 minutes when he totally missed his attempted clearance and kicked Allen instead. The Frenchman made amends by saving Kunle Adeoye's resulting penalty.

King said: "Some of our defending has been a joke recently. We have been handing goals to teams and you can't afford to do that if you want to win games."

One factor that has not been a problem for Lewes this season is their attacking prowess, but taking all the chances they create has.

Warren Haughton pulled a goal back on 56 minutes with a powerful left-foot shot which beat Tooting keeper Les Cleevely at his near post.

But the former Woking striker was guilty of missing a glorious opportunity late on, which Cleevely saved at point-blank range.

However, it was not as bad as the one squandered in injury time by Marc Whiteman. He fired wide with just the keeper to beat, while both Haughton and Michael Harvey waited for the square ball to tap into an empty net.

Lewes' final problem has been a lack of discipline in recent games. Dwain Clarke faces suspension after he was sent off with eight minutes to go after a scuffle with Allen, his second bookable offence.

He is the fourth player to be sent off in the last five games, while Haughton also faces a disciplinary hearing for comments made to an assistant.

Despite their flaws, Lewes are still in with a chance of the title because leaders Windsor and Eton are going through an equally bad patch.