Two stoppage time goals gave us a valuable win as the hunt for a play-off spot continues, writes James Barrett.
Team news: Joe Tupper came back in between the sticks, while Ricky Korboa, Ryan Healy and Ryan Gondoh were handed starts.
We began the game well as a couple of attacks yielded promising situations, with visiting keeper Chris Winterton flapping at a Tommy Bradford corner on seven minutes but Omari Hibbert couldn't just quite take advantage.
But we fell behind in the 11th minute as Jamie Brotherton sent a cross in from the far side which Jonte Smith powerfully headed past Joe Tupper from 10 yards.
We responded with Healy whom swept a pinpoint 40 yard pass out to the advanced Bobby Price and he teed up Gondoh just outside the box, but the midfielder's effort went the wrong side of the near post.
And Lewes went and doubled their lead on 17 minutes as Smith headed a corner delivery back into the mix and defender Alex Malins saw a shot take a deflection off an opponent to deceive Tupper and nestle in the net.
It was hard to take as the visitors had taken advantage of two defensive lapses, but we rolled up our sleeves - Gondoh took us forward with a 60 yard run before getting Price in, but Malins deflected his shot the wrong side of Winterton's near upright.
Then Peter Adeniyi played a quick free kick into Gondoh whom picked out Mickel Miller on the edge of their area. Our man spun his marker and unleashed a firm shot but Winterton parried it at full stretch.
He almost turned provider on 29 minutes as he turned and twisted past two opponents before a third challenge halted his run, but Korboa took aim only for Winterton to again deny us.
Smith put a pot shot for the visitors over Tupper's bar on 33 minutes and we were given a route back into the game just three minutes later - but we failed to take it.
Korboa ran through on a Gondoh pass and Winterton took him down as our man went to round him by the penalty spot. The referee gave a spot-kick but Hibbert frustratingly saw his low effort blocked by the knee of Winterton.
HALF-TIME: 0-2
The roles reversed at the restart however as we scored two quick goals to bring parity to the game.
Firstly, Miller had a shot blocked inside their area but Hibbert turned the ball back across goal and Gondoh took one touch before applying a simple finish past Winterton from close range.
And Gondoh doubled his and our tally on 52 minutes as he took down a dinked Miller cross before rifling the ball through a defender and Winterton from about eight yards.
Then Korboa wasn't picked up by the visiting defenders and he latched onto a ball over the top. Winterton came out to narrow the angle but, although he succeeded in guiding itpast the oncoming keeper, the ball went just wide of the far post.
Lewes were then reduced to 10 men as Lloyd Cotton went in very late on Korboa and the referee had no hesitation in sending their captain off.
We kept up the pressure but Winterton was in inspired form denying Gondoh, Healy and Korboa all at full stretch. Price then made an opening for himself on 70 minutes but a man in blue threw himself at his 15 yard shot.
Then Bradford spotted Miller in space and found him with an inch-perfect pass which he controlled well. Winterton made himself big but Miler will be frustrated that he failed to hit the target from 12 yards.
Kalvin Morath-Gibbs and Adeniyi were comfortably dealing with the continued long balls Lewes were hitting forward to try and relive the pressure, but then the home fans were stunned on 79 minutes.
Lewes sub Ian Robinson managed to cut in from the left and into our box and Stephen Okoh came onto a pass by cutting inside his marker and smashing a low shot back across Tupper.
It was a bitter pill to take but the players kept their heads and continued to probe forward, with Miller and sub Luke Reynolds both having shots blocked inside their area.
The home crowd was buoyed by the announcement of several minutes added time and, on 93 minutes, Bradford came onto a square Adeniyi pass to curl home a first-time hit from 18 yards and conceivably rescue us a point.
But, four minutes later, Healy made an unchecked run from deep as we built on the right and the 19 year-old bundled home Rio Davidson-Phipps' low cross to send the fans into raptures.
We are now just two points behind Hastings United whom drew 1-1 with Walton Casuals and the final play-off spot can only be filled by one of us.
Photos are available here.
The goals and an interview with Ryans Healy and Gondoh is on robins.tv
Next up: We make the short trip to Tooting and Mitcham United on Monday 17th April before we host East Grinstead Town on Saturday 22nd April.
Carshalton Athletic: Tupper; Price (c), Morath-Gibbs, Adeniyi, Panton; Bradford, Healy, Gondoh (Reynolds - 77); Miller, O Hibbert, Korboa (Davidson-Phipps - 71)
Unused subs: Kozakis, J Hibbert, Aikhionbare
Goals: Gondoh (49 and 52), Bradford (90), Healy (90)
Assists: O Hibbert, Miller, Adeniyi, Davidson-Phipps
Booked: Gondoh
Lewes: Winterton, Brinkhurst, Conlon, Harrington (Hammond - 77), Cotton (c), Malins, Okoh, Sow, Smith (Fernandez - 60), Dixon, Brotherton (Robinson - 56)
Unused subs: Hurley, Bown
Goals: Smith (12), Malins (17), Okoh (79)
Booked: Winterton, Dixon, Sow
Sent off: Cotton
Our Man of the Match: Ryan Healy
Attendance: 325