LEWES CRASH OUT TO LEAGUE RIVALS

With a squad depleted by injuries and unavailabilities - and with 4 of the second team making their 1st team debuts as a result - Lewes were understandably slow to start and were 15 - 0 down after only 15 minutes before getting into some rhythm. This saw them claw back into the game before eventually succumbing to a powerful home side who's victory sees them take firth place in the League at Lewes's expense, who slip one place to sixth.
OW's attacked from the kick-off, their influential set of forwards winning plenty of ball for their adventurous backs, and after tearing through a disorganised Lewes defence at will, scored 3 unconverted tries in the first quarter from their outside-half, full-back and inside centre to take an early lead at 15 - 0. Lewes supporters thought this was going to be a very one-sided affair from now on but their team - in true "we wunt be druv" Sussex spirit - finally got their act together and began a fight-back. On the half-hour, they scored their first try: a great move upfield ending with skipper Sam Furse touching down under the posts, outside-half Jon Pitts slotting over the conversion, to narrow the gap to 15 - 7. With Lewes now restricting OW's to inside their own half for long periods, their pressure paid off just before the half-time break with a well-worked try between forwards and backs, finished off by Pitts in the left corner, the conversion just going wide, to pull back to 15 - 12.
OW's resumed the attack from the re-start, and after a strong forwards drive on 42 minutes they went further ahead at 20 - 12 with their fourth, bonus-point but unconverted try from their No. 10. This became 25 - 12 a few minutes later with another unconverted try near the posts after a Lewes mistake gifted OW's the ball. But the visitors then hit back once more, a quickly-taken penalty inside OW's 22 metre area catching the hosts on the hop, enabling Pitts to score a fine but unconverted try in the left-hand corner to make it
25 - 17. At this point, one of OW's second-rows was yellow-carded for a high tackle but Lewes were unable to take advantage of the extra man as the host's defence held firm.
In the final minutes, with Lewes pressing for a losing bonus-point, possession was conceded, leading to a home try under the posts, the conversion seeing OW's with a deserved win by 32 - 17.
After the match, Head Coach Chris Roberts said:
"It was a cracking game of rugby to watch. Firstly, credit to Old Williamsonians; they came out the blocks and were unplayable for the first 15 minutes. This was the best any side has played us against us all season. However, I was delighted with the way my Lewes lads fought back to within 3 points at half time. That first try we scored was one of the best all season and once again started from our own goal line. Crawley in 2 weeks time at home will be a tricky one as they are fighting for pride at the foot of the table. The remaining 4 games see us play 2 sides at the top of the table and two sides just below us. I would still like to aim for 4th place but we will need to defend and tackle better than we did today. I am enormously looking forward to watch our genuine 2nd XV play in their Cup Final next week. There has been a resurgence in the Lewes 2nd XV this season. For the club to thrive we need a competitive 2ndXV and I hope that this season is the launch pad".
Lewes: Fraser, Bowry, Williams, Blunt, Lowen, Elliot, Furse (Capt.), Robinson, Taylor, Pitts, Jones, Bredin, Feltham, Austin*, Wade. (Reps., all used: Bacha*, Gailly,* Quinn*).
* Ist Team debuts

Lewes 2nd's played away to Seaford 2nd's in a friendly, returning home easy victors by
24 - 49 with tries from Kris Maloney, Owen Edmonds, James Durrant (2), Jack Nichols, Cian Furlong (2), Toby Quelch and Josh Farr (who also added 2 conversions).
This was a useful warm-up before the 2nd's meet Hove 3's in the Sussex Salver Cup Final on Saturday, now to be played at Heathfield , k.o. 2.00pm.