Martin Elliott has warned there is lots of hard work ahead after Lewes were given a stay of execution.

The Rooks survived being wound-up in the High Court yesterday when the judge agreed to a three-month adjournment.

Their hearing was brought by HM Revenue and Customs over an unpaid tax debt of £110,000.

Lewes paid off £30,000 of that sum last Friday and have committed themselves to paying three instalments of £10,000 over the next three months, an arrangement which the judge yesterday was happy to accept.

Negotiations will now continue over the balance of the debt which the Rooks want to pay in further instalments.

Managing director Elliott said: “It went as we hoped. We have got an adjournment for three months. In the meantime we will continue negotiating over what happens after the three months with the balance of the sum.

“We have a lot to do and a lot to sort out but it is a step forward.

“We have put a lot of work into this. There are a handful of really good, genuine supporters of Lewes Football Club who have really rallied around to get us to where we have got.

“All we wanted to do was to be given the ability to pay what we owe and in the fullness of time we will achieve that.”

Elliott is delighted by the response to calls for financial support over the last week which have helped Lewes raise the £30,000 to be paid over the next three months but he insisted the club needs continued help.

He added: “We are looking for people to invest and we are talking to people. There are people who have come in with £5,000 and there are some who have given us £1,000. If there are others out there wavering then please come forward.”

The winding-up order will stay in place for the next three months while negotiations continue.