Last updated: 5 October 2026, 02:05 BST.
Lewes beat Whitehawk 1–0 in the South Downs derby on Saturday 3 October 2026, with Mackenzie Richardson’s late header settling the Isthmian League Premier Division match at The Dripping Pan. For the Brighton visitors, the decisive moment came just four minutes before the end of normal time.
How Lewes beat Whitehawk
The official Lewes FC report, published on 4 October, says the 18-year-old met Ryan Gondoh’s cross at the far post to secure the win. The club’s match centre records Richardson coming off the bench in the 69th minute and scoring in the 86th.
The Non-League Football Paper’s report by Stuart Fuller independently confirms the 1–0 score and goal time. It describes an early Lewes chance saved by Whitehawk goalkeeper Hugo Fisher. That corroborates the central result; the more detailed account of chances comes from the home club.
Why it matters locally
This is a fixture connecting Brighton’s non-league football community with neighbouring Lewes. An attendance of 1,889, reported by Lewes, gives the occasion a significance beyond the scoreline: supporters turned out for a local league derby during the Premier League break.
The outcome also underlines the difference a substitution can make in a tight match. Whitehawk were still level late on, but Richardson turned his opportunity into the winning goal. We have not inferred a change in league position from the result.
Brighton Locals’ view
Our judgement is that this was an encouraging result for Lewes and a frustrating finish for Whitehawk. The late goal rewarded the home side’s persistence, but a narrow derby win alone cannot establish how either club’s season will develop. The next league performances will tell us more.
What supporters should do next
According to Lewes’ official fixture list, the men travel to Crowborough Athletic in the Sussex Senior Challenge Cup on Tuesday 6 October, kick-off 7.45pm, then to Cray Wanderers on Saturday 10 October at 3pm.
The next home league fixture listed is Maldon & Tiptree on Saturday 17 October at 3pm, at The Dripping Pan, Mountfield Road, Lewes, BN7 2XA. Use the club-linked ticket page to check admission options. Its organiser information says under-16s must be accompanied by an adult. Check the fixture list before travelling in case arrangements change.
Whitehawk supporters can check the club’s official website for their next match arrangements. For wider local football coverage, read our report on Brighton Women’s 5–1 Amex win.
A derby decided in the closing minutes is a reminder that Sussex’s football stories extend well beyond the Premier League.
Image credit: Archive photograph of The Dripping Pan during Lewes Women v Durham, 10 January 2021, not this derby. James Boyes via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Resized only.
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