News & match reports

13-14 February match reports
16th February 2010

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Seniors

Saturday 13 February 2010

First VX

Lewes vs Sevenoaks
Score: 29 - 22
Report by Alan Page
Photographs: Alan Page

For the second week running Lewes produced a first half display of running rugby which threatened to completely overwhelm Sevenoaks. A 26 – 8 lead at half time looked more than comfortable but a resurgence by the visitors after the break put the home supporters nerves on edge.

From the kick off Lewes quickly exerted pressure on the Sevenoaks line, but a missed penalty by fly half Matatumua enabled Sevenoaks to repay the compliment with more reward when fly half Walker converted an easy penalty. Lewes were straight back into the visitors’ 22 and good forward driving saw No. 8 Matt Ridley, who had an outstanding game, crash over by the posts. Matatumua converted and increasingly began to direct his backline with long miss out passes which produced space wide out. This resulted in scores on both wings for Steve Mills and James Halpin. The forwards then took control and forceful driving once more allowed prop Steve Andre to find a gap for a score by the posts. During this time Sevenoaks managed to steal an interception for right wing Dodds to score an unconverted try wide out.

The half time team talk clearly re-energised Sevenoaks and they quickly camped in the Lewes 22 and drove over flanker Beasley for a try which Walker converted. Lewes’ discomfort was added to when prop Steve Andre had to retire for ten minutes with a blood injury. This disruption to the Lewes scrum was exploited by the visitors with a series of five metre scrums from which No. 8 Hunt scored from close range. Walker’s conversion brought the scores to 26 – 22, with 20 minutes remaining. Matatumua then calmed the home nerves with a fine 40 metre penalty but a yellow card, for an alleged high tackle by flanker Tom Tudor, put the outcome in the balance once more. To their credit Lewes refused to give way and on balance deserved their win against the side positioned third in the table.

Sunday 14 February 2010

Women XV

Tottonians vs Lewes ladies
Score: 10 - 46
Report by Rab Willis

Lewes ladies took home a 46-10 win against Tottonians on Sunday. The team pulled out all the stops to secure this heavy victory on the hosting side.

Hat tricks for Heather Shaw and Lucy Stewart, while an already injured Sadie Graham scored her only try before leaving the pitch with a torn tendon in her hand. Back of the match Anita Hillman was denied several tries by generous penalties given to the opposition but managed one that any footballer would have been proud of, as she kicked the ball the length of the pitch and sped in front of defenders to score over the line.

The ladies have a tough meeting at home next week against the unbeaten Hampstead, 2pm kick off. All support is welcome!

Juniors

Lewes Colts vs Heathfield & Waldron Colts
Score: 23 - 10
Match report by Aidan Byrne

Lewes Colts had a very good win over a competitive Heathfield side held in Heathfield Sports Ground. It may have been Valentine’s Day but not to many kisses were exchanged between the two sides.

Lewes started the stronger of the two sides and only desperate tackling on the part of Heathfield prevented a Lewes try with four different attempts being stopped just short of the line. Eventually Heathfield conceded a penalty of the posts and Harte coolly slotted it over. Then inexplicably Lewes decided to allow a relatively soft try on the blind side of the ruck to allow Heathfield go five three ahead. Historically one of the best parts of the Lewes play is their defense – so to concede such a soft try was surprising. Just after this, unfortunately Tom Howell, who had a great game in the linout, went off injured was replaced by Billy Filmer. At the next lineout on the half way line Danny Hemsley did a cheeky dink around the blind side, ran over the winger and pushed past the fullback and scored a great individual try near the touchline.

From the following kickoff and Heathfield attacking in the Lewes 22 Raff Gunn scored a great try under the posts. Raff gets the credit, and was an integral part in the move, but it a team try. Joshua Sheppard first stole the ball from a maul and starting a great run from deep in defense – the ball passed through many pairs of hands, Harte, Callaghan, Byrne and Christian who had the intelligence to keep the ball alive and create a great ruck allowing Gunn to pass to Peate who gave to Seb, who being tackled just before the tryline gave it back to Gunn who stepped over the try line and score. Admittedly he did have the intelligence to run towards the posts before he touched down. It was a beautiful, wonderful display of flowing rugby. Just before half time newboy Billie finished off the sequence of pummeling forward mauling by scoring by right of the posts.

The second half started the better for Heathfield who were first on the score board. A sequence of quick tap penalties got them to a ruck just in front of the posts and Forester, a large Heathfield forward managed so scramble over and score a try. Lewes responded and Charlie Savage to the credit for crossing the line – however a number of players, Theo, Raff and Sebb were some of those who were stopped just short of scoring. That was the final score of the game and a good win in the League and bonus point for Lewes Colts.

Lewes welcomes Billy and Owen into the squad and they were brilliant, marvelous, great – pick any of these descriptive adjectives. Owen is an ex-Heathfield player and I enjoyed his first touch against his old side. For some reason Lewes decided to run out of their own 22 and Owen playing on the wing received the ball. Unfortunately he was isolated with four of the opposition bearing down on him. He had the imitative to weave, jink and somehow keep upright long enough for the Lewes support to come to his aid. Ollie Stables is also an ex Heathfield player and for some bizarre reason he seemed to receiving a lot of physical attention every time he was passed the ball.

Scorers for Lewes: Raff Gunn (1 try), Lewis Harte (1 conversion) Charlie Savage (1 try) Billie Filmer (1 try) Danny Hemsley (1 try)

Lewes Squad: George Dean, Lockie Diplock, Billie Filmer, Danny Hemsley, Joshua Sheppard, Lewis Harte, Christian Vaneze, Raff Gunn, Ollie Callaghan, Ollie Stables, Ishida Ryohei, Tom Hocking, Charlie Savage, Sam Peate, Theo Tyrer, Ryan Byrne, Owen Lewis, Seb Lampard, Tom Howell

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