LEWES OUT-GUNNED BY HEATH

Lewes hosted a much stronger Heath team than the one they defeated earlier in the season, and the visitors' all-round strength proved decisive on the day as they raced to a bonus-point win which sees them in the second-placed promotion slot in the League table. Although the final scoreline represented Lewes' heaviest defeat of the season, it did not reflect the fact that, after a slow and error-strewn first half, Lewes actually "won" the second half by 17 - 15, in spite of being reduced to only 13 men at one stage due to 2 yellow and 1 red cards.
It took Heath only 2 minutes to get on the scoreboard when, after their first attack, their outside-centre touched down near the posts for the opening try of the match, converted by Heath's No. 10, to make it 0 - 7. This extended to 0 - 14 only 2 minutes later, a try from their right-winger being converted by their outside-half.
After 22 minutes, however, Lewes at last managed to get their act together, and exerted some pressure of their own on Heath's defence. This was rewarded with a fine,but unconverted, try in the corner from right-winger Harry Hanley to reduce the arrears to
5 - 14. But - in spite of Heath's left-winger then being yellow-carded for a high tackle - the visitors went further ahead only a few minutes later after a flowing move between forwards and backs was rounded-off with a try from their flanker, converted by No. 10, to pull away at 5 - 21. To rub salt into Lewes's wounds, Heath secured their fourth, bonus-point try 6 minutes before the half-time break, their full-back coming into the line for a try under the posts, converted by No. 14, to go in at the break with a deserved 5 - 28 lead.
Lewes's half-time talk had an immediate effect, as they scored their second try after 45 minutes by centre Billy Shiell, converted by outside-half Joe Mackie, to narrow the gap to 12 - 28. A penalty to Heath after 51 minutes, slotted over by their No. 10, saw them pull away again at 12 - 31 and then Lewes's troubles started. Five minutes later, one of their wing-forwards was red-carded for an alleged kneeing incident, reducing the hosts to 14 players for the rest of the match. But this seemed to spur them on as , some 6 minutes later, a strong drive down the pitch by prop-forward Luke Raynor enabled the ball to be passed out left for Hanley to touch down for his second, but unconverted, try to make it 17 - 31.
Heath then took full advantage of their extra man to extend the lead to 17 - 38 after their full-back came into the line for a try under the posts which was easily converted by their outside-half. But to Lewes's credit - and the warm applause of the large crowd - they never gave up the fight and managed to draw closer at 22 - 38 with their fourth, but unconverted, try from right-wing Will Feltham. However, just as Lewes were beginning to get on to the ascendant, one of their prop-forwards was sent to the sin-bin after a reversed penalty decision, followed soon after by another yellow-card being shown to their No. 8. This loss of manpower eventually proved too much as Heath rounded off a well-earned victory by 22 - 43 with an unconverted try from one of their second-row forwards near the final whistle.
Although earning a deserved losing bonus-point, Lewes - due to results elsewhere - slipped to fifth place in the table, thereby ending any hopes they may have had earlier in the season of securing promotion.

There are no London League 3 fixtures on Saturday due to the 6 Nations Internationals, and so Lewes's next game is the away trip to Aylesford Bulls on 25th. March, k.o. 3.00pm.