GREAT AWAY WIN AGAINST HIGH-FLYING OLD DUNSTONIANS

In one of their finest displays for a long time, Lewes beat a team who were lying second in the table, having lost only one game to date, earning in the process a winning bonus point which sees them move up to equal-fifth in the League. Although Dunstonians had a much heavier pack of forwards and a set of fast-running backs who had been scoring points at will so far, Lewes stuck to their game plan and eventually wore down their opponents with a great squad performance, highlighted by effective tackling all round and the ability to counter-attack through their equally-speedy back line.
The opening score came after only 2 minutes, Lewes winning good ball near Dunstonian's 22 metre line before feeding it to inside-centre Ben Booth who crashed through the home side's defence for a try under the posts, outside-half Joe Terry kicking over the conversion to see the visitors go 0 - 7 up. OD's responded after 6 minutes, securing the ball after a line-out near Lewes's line, enabling their forwards to gain ground for hooker Sam Perry to score an unconverted push-over try to make it 5 - 7.
On 21 minutes, after a spell of play concentrated in mid-field, Lewes at last broke through with a fine flowing move rounded-off by full-back Sam Hewitt for a try near the posts, Terry adding the extras to extend Lewes's lead to 5 - 14. But OD's hit back straight away as their heavier and well-drilled pack scored a second push-over try, again by Perry, this time the conversion being slotted over by their outside-half, Mike Newby, to narrow the gap to
12 - 14. Four minutes from half-time, Lewes increased their lead to 12 - 21, securing possession on half-way from a loose ball which was picked up by right-winger Harry Hanley who then sprinted fully 50 metres for a great individual try under the posts, Terry converting to go in at the break with a healthy 12 -21 advantage.(Just before this incident, 2 OD's players accidentally clashed heads, which held up the re-start for some fifteen minutes while play was switched to an adjoining, but much smaller, pitch - which suited the hosts more as it gave less space for Lewes's backs to work with).
Indeed, with only one minute gone into the second half, OD's pulled back to 19 - 21, their No. 8 and Captain, Peter Jeffery, plunging over for a try converted by Newby. But Lewes maintained their attacking game, left-winger Will Feltham scoring their fourth, but unconverted, bonus-point try minutes later to stretch the advantage to 19 - 26. Lewes were then penalised for not releasing the ball, and from the ensuing penalty OD's fed the ball out wide to their speedy right-winger, Jamal Gobir, who sprinted to the line for his side's fourth, bonus-point, try, converted by Newby, to see the hosts equalise at 26 - 26.
OD's powerful forwards were now dominating possession and territory, earning them another penalty, this time kicked over by Newby, to see the hosts take the lead for the first time in the match at 29 - 26 with only 13 minutes remaining. At this point, Lewes's hardy band of supporters became somewhat nervous, but their confidence was re-ignited as Lewes, to their credit, continued to take the game to the opposition with aggressive tackling and a series of attacks to move upfield . This paid off as the game neared its end when, after winning ball inside OD's 22 metre zone, it was fed out to Hanley for his second try, converted by Terry, to end the match with Lewes worthy winners by 29 - 33.
This was a fine team performance by the Sussex side, in which every man played his
part - not least prop-forward Joe Hill, newly-signed from Hove and making his first appearance for his new Club. After the game, Harry Hanley was voted "Man of the Match" by his team.
On Saturday, Lewes entertain local rivals Hellingly for a combined League/Cup match,k.o. 2.30pm at the at the Stanley Turner Ground, this game being preceded by a Sponsors/Vice-Presidents Lunch. The 2nd XV are also at home, against Crowborough.

Lewes 2nd's visited East Grinstead, putting up a determined performance in losing by only 29 - 24, a result which could have gone either way but which still earned them another 2 losing bonus points. Lewe's tries were scored by Caolan Quinn, Olly Graham, Tom Roache and James Durrant, with Jon Pitts - returning after a long lay-off due to injury - kicking 2 conversions.