The away side were 2-0 up at half-time, and although Kate Wiseman pulled a goal back, the U’s were unable to find a leveller.

Lewes started brightly, with Olivia Carpenter seeing a shot inside the penalty box collected by Beth Howard and Adekite Fatuga-Dada having a shot blocked after a left-wing Carpenter cross.

Paula Howells then dribbled from the halfway line and crossed for Carpenter, whose shot was narrowly off target.

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Lewes took the lead just after the quarter of an hour mark, when a misplaced back pass went past Howard in the United goal.

A through ball from Howells to Sammy Quayle resulted in the latter shooting off target, while a high press from Lewes resulted in Carpenter firing wide from the edge of the area.

Howells and Quayle both shot wide before Lewes did manage to double their lead.

Shortly before the break, a corner was scrambled clear as far as Carpenter on the edge of the box, and she cannoned a shot off the underside of the crossbar and over the line.

Ten minutes into the second period, the U’s pulled a goal back. Wiseman’s free kick was missed by everyone and spun out of goalkeeper Emily Moore’s gloves before dropping across the line.

United ramped up the pressure, as Leah Burridge headed another Wiseman free kick at Moore, who then saved well Phoebie Poole’s shot.

The U’s were unable to break down their opponents and find an equaliser though, leaving them fifth in Southern Premier Division, three points behind early leaders Hashtag United.

After the defeat against Lewes, United manager Sam Rose said: “It’s difficult to sum up really, I’m not sure we deserved to lose the game.

“It’s difficult to be 2-0 down at half-time. I know we weren’t necessarily as tidy as we’d want to be with the ball or as controlled without it as we like to be, but I definitely didn’t think it was a 2-0 at half-time.

“In the second half, we were chasing the game and on the front foot, playing some good football, and it’s just not ended up in the back of the net for us.

“We’re disappointed, but it’s hard to summarise that one.”

The U’s now visit bottom side MK Dons on Wednesday night, before a trip to Billericay Town in the first round of the National League Cup on Sunday.

Rose said: “We’ve got a busy week, we won’t have much time to mope about. We’ll train and get into the game against MK Dons on Wednesday, and hopefully put it right, and get three more points on the board.”