News & match reports

Revenge Win for Lewes
29th January 2012
Mens - First XV
Heathfield and Waldron 7 Lewes 31

Lewes's comfortable away win by 7 - 31 against local rivals Heathfield and Waldron meant they retain their mid-table position in London League 2 South East.

Lewes started the match on the offensive but were intitially held out by Heathfield's defence. The next 5 minutes saw continuuing Lewes pressure inside the host's own half but again disciplined defence by the home side and unforced errors by the visitors prevented any score.

The breakthrough came after 16 minutes when Lewes's attacking efforts finally paid off, a strong maul giving possession to the backs, who fed the ball out wide for outside-half Marty Campbell to crash over in the right-hand corner for a well-worked try. Centre Jon Pitts' conversion took his side into the lead by 0 - 7.

This doubled to 0 - 14 after 24 minutes when a good counter-attack move between full-back Matty Hodson and right-winger James Halpin ended with Pitts touching down near the posts for a fine try, which he also converted. But 15 minutes later, Heathfield hit back after a rare incursion inside Lewes's half with a series of rucks and mauls, before outside-half Bryn Jones broke through to score under the posts, the conversion by centre Joe Wood seeing the deficit reduced to 7 - 14.

From the re-start, however, a fumble by a home player led to Campbell intercepting the ball to score his second try under the posts, Pitts' conversion seeing Lewes end the first half with a deserved 7 - 21 lead.

The first 7 minutes of the second half saw an even period of play, with Heathfield unable to profit from the few periods of pressure they enjoyed. Lewes were able to fight back as a result, and on 49 minutes Campbell went over for his hat-trick-try - bringing with it Lewes's bonus point - and although the difficult conversion was missed, the visitors' lead was nevertheless extended to 7 - 26.

There then followed a series of Heathfield attacks, but great defence by Lewes on the try-line prevented a score. Heathfield's fate was more or less sealed just on the hour when one of their second-row forwards was yellow carded for punching, and the advantage of the extra man was quickly seized upon by Lewes who, 3 minutes later, scored their fifth and final try, Hodson working his way through a despairing home defence before scoring a fine individual, but unconverted, try to stretch the lead to 7 - 31.

Thus Lewes ended the match on an upbeat note, gaining  revenge on opponents who had narrowly beaten them at home  back in October. The team are now beginning to adjust to the influx of new, many young, players into the squad as a result of their long injury list, but their recent  revival in fortunes will be put to the test on Saturday when they entertain promotion hopefuls, Aylesford Bulls, at the Stanley Turner Ground, k.o. 2.30pm.

Lewes: Brunt, Stechler, Dean (Williams, 49 mins.), Brant (Gorbell, 61 mins.),Hamer, Armstrong (Capt), Ridley, Tudor, Bell, Campbell, Smith (Byrne, 64 mins.), Pitts, Sharp, Halpin, Hodson.

Article by Dereck Wade

Photographs by Jez King

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