There were three changes to the Chi starting XI that lined up in that 1-0 midweek defeat to Cray Wanderers. Ben Pashley and Curtis Da Costa returned as centre backs with Ryan Davidson and skipper Rob Hutchings in more customary roles at right and left back with Rowlatt in midfield alongside Emmett Dunn and Joe Clarke, with Ethan Prichard and Wild up top.
Chichester tried to play Prichard into the channel six minutes later but to no avail after good work from Pashley, Rowlatt, Dunn and Hutchings before the Chi captain won a throw.
Bello launched this long and Davidson was impeded in the box for a penalty.
Wild stepped up and calmly slotted this away to give the West Sussex side a dream-start lead with his 20th goal in all competitions this season so far.
Bello then conceded a throw up against Michael Elechi and Da Costa gave away a set-piece for hand ball which Eddie Allsopp took.
The same Lewes player delivered a corner which Da Costa conceded and Wild headed clear.
On 13 Davidson steered the ball back to Kieran Magee safely enough as the Rooks pressed once more and Da Costa, Rowlatt and Hutchings rebuilt.
Bello got in swiftly to cut out an Elechi pass before Rowlatt and then Bello were well in and Wild pressurised Toby Bull in the Lewes goal.
Rowlatt, back to his best, tackled Matt Warren brilliantly and the hosts returned to their slow build up play.
Da Costa had a cross to clear from the home side’s skipper Danny Bassett and Dunn found Wild who gave away a throw.
Next, Parish Muirhead overhit a pass looking for Bassett and Davidson defended superbly to cut out a delivery.
Muirhead’s long-ranger was pretty straightforward for Magee at the mid-point and Rowlatt and Wild combined at the other end to win Chi a throw.
Bello then miscued; the Rooks cleared; and Prichard’s flick eventually failed to pick Wild.
The busy Rowlatt disposed Marcus Sablier and tried his luck from distance but it wasn’t on target before Josh Spinks similarly had a go from some way out and won a corner but a teammate was flagged offside.
Prichard earned a Chichester throw off Spinks on 28 which Bello took and Bassett hooked away.
The home side got going again and Davidson had to steer the ball out for a corner on the half an hour mark when Allsopp crossed.
Allsopp delivered this and Magee punched clear before a couple of players had a go.
Referee Patrick Nixon decided Pashley had challenged Botti fairly and then Wild almost doubled Chi’s advantage at the opposite end.
Bello went on a mazy run and beat a couple of players and Allsopp’s flick got cut out by Da Costa.
Clarke was on hand to turn out a cross from the right for a corner which Allsopp took and the ball somehow went straight in at the back post for the equaliser 10 minutes before the break.
Good pressure from Wild once more got Rowlatt and Prichard going with the former being bundled over in the area – no pen according to Mr Nixon.
Spinks did catch Wild moments later and the ref brandished a yellow card.
Hutchings took this and Davidson headed out for a goal-kick.
Warren then played a one-two but the final ball went out and Prichard struck wide of the mark on 40 minutes.
Bello had a poor shot after a move involving Hutchings and Wild and Botti linked up with Allsopp only for the visitors to win a throw.
Lewes earned a free-kick on the edge of the box in their next attack but Botti was judged offside as an entertaining first 45 came to a close.
Neither side made any changes at the break and Wild got flagged offside a couple of minutes in.
Spinks hit a poor pass on 48 and 60 seconds later Prichard nearly got Wild away.
Chi hooked it clear as Botti, Allsopp and Calvin Ekpiteta threatened and diverted an Ekpiteta cross moments later.
Both Rowlatt and Pashley tackled effectively in the 52nd minute and Botti had a good chance with a header he couldn’t direct on target.
The away team then cleared another Ekpiteta delivery and Pashley tidied up before Clarke broke into the box.
Allsopp got booked for a foul on Davidson and Hutchings’ set-piece was easy enough for Bull between the sticks.
Bello went on another run and the ball fell to Rowlatt but this came to nothing in the end and Clarke was cautioned for an indiscretion.
Next, Hutchings and then Clarke played passes that were a bit too heavy and Sablier went into the notebook for a free-kick as well which Prichard took and Bull finally claimed.
His counterpart gathered when Warren attempted to find Ekpiteta and Jerry Puemo got over to interrupt Bello’s break.
Another long throw got headed out for one again from which Bello won a corner this time.
And Davidson just needed to get a decent connection when Hutchings whipped it in.
A poor back pass gifted Lewes the lead when Botti latched on to the ball and found the back of the net on 68.
Dunn then had a wayward shot as Chichester sought to get back into things and Spinks conceded a throw.
It wasn’t 2-1 for long however as Bello struck the woodwork with a thunderous effort and followed up to fire the rebound home in the 70th minute.
And three minutes later Rowlatt latched on to a loose ball after an effort was blocked to score what proved to be the winner.
The hosts made a couple of substitutions and were under pressure again as Prichard won a corner.
Hutchings’ kick was cleared before Wild won a header and a Rowlatt attempt was saved.
Ekpiteta kept a deep cross in and Hutchings got in a telling tackle.
Next, Magee made a clearance of sorts and Rowlatt hooked away.
Da Costa also cleared as Allsopp crossed and Prichard picked up a head injury.
Mo Jammeh replaced Rowlatt on 82 and Da Costa did well to win a goal-kick after the drop ball.
Chi repelled an attack as Spinks, Ekpiteta and Puemo posed a threat and then sub Tolu Ladapo fouled Da Costa.
A clever one-two between Jammeh and Clarke led to a Chi corner which Prichard delivered.
Mr Nixon added five minutes and Ekpiteta won a corner which he took himself and Chi cleared as the clock ticked down.
The West Sussex side hung on though to snap a three game losing streak.
Miles Rutherford’s men remain in 17th place and welcome Whitehawk to Oaklands Park for another derby on Tuesday 17th December (Kick Off 7:45pm).
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Clarke, Da Costa, Pashley, Bello, Dunn, Wild, Rowlatt, Prichard. (Horncastle, Munt, Moore, Jammeh).
(Photos to follow)
