News & match reports

Park Snatch Lewes Points
7th January 2012
Mens - First XV
Charlton Park 23 - Lewes 18

For the second game running, Lewes's fate was determined by a refereeing decision - after pulling back from 15 - 6 down at half-time to 18 - 18 with seconds remaining, second-row Chris Gorbell was sin-binned for the first time in his career, and the hosts used the 1-man advantage to score a push-over try at the death to snatch the win by 23 - 18. Lewes's well-earned bonus point could not, however, prevent them from slipping into the bottom half of the League table for the first time this season.

With Lewes yet again suffering from a lengthening injury list and last-minute withdrawals, the game kicked-off with Charlton Park, benefitting from the slope and following wind, pressurising their opponents before they had time to settle into any sort of rhythym. A series of scrums near the Lewes try line resulted in a penalty to the hosts after 8 minutes, enabling thier left-winger, Jake Smith, to slot over the kick to open the score at 3 - 0.


Lewes responded with a good drive upfield, followed by a rolling maul for some 20 metres deep inside Park's territory. Park were forced to concede a penalty after 14 minutes, on the 22 metre line, centre Jon Pitts stepping up to kick over to level matters at 3 - 3.Some eight minutes later, Park went back in front by 8 - 3, their No. 8, Luke Boyns, crashing over on the right for an unconverted try. The Sussex side pulled back to 8 - 6 a few minutes later, Pitts kicking over his second penalty after Park's No. 7 was sin-binned for elbowing.

Then, only 2 minutes later, Lewes's prop-forward, Phil Brunt, was also yellow-carded for dropping the scrum, and the sweeping move from Park which  ensued saw the ball moved swiftly out wide for Smith to touch down for a fine try, which he also converted, to see his side go in with an 15 - 6 advantage at the break.

The second half saw a much-improved performance by Lewes,using the conditions to good advantage and gaining much more possession and territory as a result.Playing good attacking rugby, they at last were able to exert sigificant pressure on their opponents, and a penalty 7 minutes into the second half was kicked over by Pitts from 20 metres to narrow the gap to

15 - 9.This,combined with an impressive, all-round team effort, enabled Lewes to raise their game, and a fine attacking move 12 minutes later resulted in a great penalty kick from 40 metres out by Pitts to make it 15 - 12. Park were now struggling to regain their first-half dominance,and on the hour Lewes's fight-back was rewarded with another Pitts long-range penalty to level the score at 15 - 15.

After a short series of home attacks were then repelled by Lewes, the visitors finally took the lead by 15 - 18 when, following a good series of rucks and mauls, Park were penalised on 70 minutes, enabling Pitts to complete his 100% record with his sixth successful kick. But Park hit back with a penalty of their own 3 minutes later, Smith slotting over to equal things up at 18 - 18.

At this juncture, Lewes - and their large band of supporters -  thought a draw was in the offing,  a fair reflection of their efforts in the second half against the side currently in second place in the League and pushing for promotion. But then came the turning point of the match: with only seconds remaining, Gorbell was sin-binned for what the referee adjudged to be a high tackle, and the 1-man advantage in the pack was enough to let Park's flanker, Rob Saunderson, score an unconverted push-over try to see the hosts run out somewhat fortunate winners by 23 - 18.

Lewes: Brunt, Edmondson, Dean, Brant, Gorbell, Armstrong, Ridley, Nayler, Bell, Campbell, Byrne, Pitts, Evans, Terry, Hodson (sub.: Read)

On Saturday, Lewes hope to return to winning ways with a home match against lowly-placed Old Midwhitgiftians, k.o. 2.15pm at the Stanley Turner Ground.

Article by Dereck Wade

Photographs by Dereck Wade

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