WASTED chances cost East Grinstead dear as they slipped to a 3-2 defeat at home to Doncaster in National League division one.

Grinstead, relegated from the premier division last season, are struggling to come to terms with life in a new division.

With a much changed side from last season, they are still looking for their first point after two matches, but manager Barrie Sullivan sees some cause for optimism.

Sullivan said: "We were certainly worth more than we got from the game. We improved on the previous week's performance, which was pleasing, and we have probably played two of the stronger side so far.

"But we have got to turn our possession into opportunities. We certainly have a lot of the ball, but we have got to turn that into goals."

Doncaster opened the scoring after just five minutes when former Lewes player Colin Edwards deflected a free hit past a bewildered Andy Spight, in the Grinstead goal, but the hosts were back on level terms before half time when Dominic Male converted the last of four corners.

After the interval, Doncaster forged into a 3-1 lead with further goals from Edwards and Ferguson.

But Grinstead rallied in the closing stages, forcing five penalty corners, one of which was converted by Male to make it 3-2.

LEWES squandered early chances before going on to lose 4-1 away to Stourport.

Jeremy Boyse opened the scoring for Lewes after just four minutes with a snap reverse stick shot following a good run by Simon Owen, and the Sussex side could have been 3-0 up inside ten minutes.

But other chances were wasted and Stourport fought back to level on 11 minutes, before adding three more in the next 20 minutes.

Trailing 4-1 at the interval, Lewes changed things round and played much better, but still wasted chances, including a penalty miss by Owen.

Manager Peter Boyse said: "We could have been 3-0 up after ten minutes and the game would have been closed up, but we didn't take our chances.

"Our short corners were very poor. We had seven and didn't convert any of them."

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