Steve Ibbitson has warned Lewes fans there are still major battles ahead to face.

The mood at the Dripping Pan has lifted after the rousing 6-2 Boxing Day win over high-flying Dover.

That victory temporarily lifted the Rooks out of the relegation zone and followed an equally impressive FA Trophy defeat of Hampton and Richmond three days before Christmas.

But with a winding-up petition, which will be heard in January, still hanging over the club Ibbitson does not want people to think everything is rosy.

Lewes have been battling to repay a £110,000 debt to HM Revenue and Customs since the start of the season.

While £70,000 of it will have been paid back by the end of December, the remainder has to be found by the time of the High Court hearing in January or the club could be wound-up.

Ibbitson said: “We mustn’t forget we have this date with the Inland Revenue again in mid-January and despite that great result (on Boxing Day) by mid-January we could be out of business if we are not careful.

“These dates keep coming up and we have got to try to make sure we get things right off the field as well, which is what we are working towards.

“The club has not suddenly become Shangri-La. We need to keep working, keep doing the right things on and off the field and hopefully if we can get through this season.

“If we can stay up, the club will be in a lot better financial shape and the future would be bright with some of these kids we have who have being doing tremendously well, people like Tim Rivers and Ross Sutton who are 17-year-olds playing at this standard of football and looking good.”