Lewes moved to within three points of a play-off place in division one of the National League.

They edged out Indian Gymkhana in a fiery encounter at the Southdown Club.

A Ben Hawes penalty stroke proved decisive after the visitors had fought back from two goals down to level matters early in the second half.

Lewes manager Peter Boyse said: "It turned a bit nasty towards the end and we felt the umpires lost control.

"They were really fired up and there were some horrendous tackles going in right from the start."

Both teams finished with ten men with Lewes losing skipper Jeremy Boyse for the last 15 minutes. It was Boyse who had given Lewes the lead on 15 minutes with a flick from a short corner.

Two minutes later the advantage was doubled when Alistair Boyse drove into the circle and fed brother Jeremy beyond the far post. The skipper pulled it back across the keeper for Alistair Boyse to fire home.

Indian Gymkhana fought back in the final ten minutes of the half, and pulled a goal back from open play through Tejinder Hanspal.

Early in the second half the visitors drew level when Kamal Naqvi struck.

Hawes restored the advantage eight minutes later and Lewes held on despite tempers flaring in the final quarter.

The result leaves Lewes three points behind Chelmsford and Doncaster, who are second and third, but manager Boyse offered a word of warning.

He said: "We have got to play better than we have been. We have been giving the ball away too easily and we have got to get back into a higher gear."

Lewes: Hibbert; Standing, Champness, Heslop, Walker; Hawes, Hill, Poulsen; A. Boyse, Wright, J. Boyse. Sub used: Van Tromp. MoM: Alistair Boyse.

East Grinstead look doomed to relegation following a 4-3 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Barford Tigers.

In a match marred by controversy, six of the seven goals came from penalty corners, with the home side never in the lead.

An early Jagdeep Soor strike was soon equalised by Simon Ogden but Barford secured a 2-1 half time lead when Harpreet Singh scored the only open play goal in the tenth minute.

The hard-working Dominick Male equalised but goals from Stainderpal Mann and Singh in quick succession put Barford 4-2 ahead. A late Richard Leman special proved to be in vain.