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One-sided victory by Lewes

One-sided victory by Lewes

DERECK Wade14 Jan 2018 - 11:32
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Bonus-point win keeps Lewes in the hunt

We are now one point off fourth place and have third place in our sights as well. Good things are starting to happen at Lewes RFC and we are a Sussex club to keep an eye on!"
- Head Coach Chris Roberts

In a one-sided game on Saturday, high-flying Lewes dominated relegation-threatened Sheppey from start to finish, running out easy bonus-point winners by scoring nine unanswered tries.

It took the hosts only two minutes to open the scoring, an attack from the kick-off seeing the ball moved swiftly upfield for outside-centre Will Feltham to score under the posts, outside-half Jon Pitts kicking over the conversion to put 7-0 on the scoreboard. Two minutes later, a mistake by Sheppey inside their own half gifted the ball to Lewes, who took full advantage to feed the ball to left-wing Abe Bredin for an unconverted try to extend the lead to 12-0. The next five minutes saw pressure from Sheppey for the first time in the match but Lewes' defence held firm, enabling them to counter-attack on 20 minutes via a fine break by full-back Dan Wade to the visitors' 22 metre zone before off-loading the ball to scrum-half Sam Hewitt for another (but unconverted) try to go further ahead at 17-0.

Lewes's fourth, bonus-point try came after only 27 minutes, after second-row Nathan Lowen caught the ball inside his own before before sprinting fully 70 metres towards the Sheppey try-line for a great individual, but unconverted, try in the right corner to make it 22-0.

Lewes's rhythm was not disrupted even when, on the half-hour, influential prop-forward Luke Raynor was yellow-carded for a scrum offence and - following Sheppey's missed penalty kick - they even managed to increase their lead to 29-0 after 37 minutes with another great surge forward by Lowen, the ball then passed out to right-wing Hector Veasey for a fine try under the posts, Pitts adding the extras. In the final seconds before half-time, this became 36-0 with Wade's first try, converted by Pitts.

10 minutes into the second half, Wade added to his tally with a try under the posts after another impressive counter-attacking move, Pitts slotting over the conversion to see his side pull away at 43-0. But two minutes later, Lewes skipper Sam Furse was sent to the sin-bin for obstruction and Sheppey took full advantage of their extra man by pressurising Lewes for long periods inside their own 22 metre area, but solid home defence prevented them from adding any points.

Five minutes from the final whistle, Lewes hit back with the best try of the match, moving the ball from inside their opponents' half before passing it out their speedy back-line, enabling outside-centre Will Feltham to touch down under the posts, Pitts converting, to make it 50-0. But Lewes had not finished yet: with only seconds remaining, Wade completed his hat-trick with an unconverted try to make the final score 55-0; a result which consolidates Lewes in fifth position in the league.

After the match the Lewes squad voted Number 8 Luke Robinson as Man-of-the-Match.

Head Coach Chris Roberts's views on the game:

"We scored nine tries today. All of them were magnificent long-range efforts. The support play, decision making and execution in attack was outstanding; the ball passing through numerous pairs of hands before the tries being scored. We can be satisfied to rack up 55 points, however I know the side is particularly proud to keep the opposition score to nothing. We lost a man to the sin bin and then proceeded to withstand a ten minute goal line barrage.....and won the battle. Although the size of the win was perhaps a bit surprising, the result was not. Sheppey sit one place off the bottom of the league. The important thing for us today was to be ruthless and relentless.....and we were. A week off and then Park House away. Although they are below us in the table they have had a great start to 2018 and it will be a real test. We are now one point off fourth place and have third place in our sights as well. Good things are starting to happen at Lewes RFC and we are a Sussex club to keep an eye on!"

Lewes: Raynor, Warren, Oaksford, Evans, Lowen, Hatch, Furse (Capt), Robinson, Hewitt, Pitts, Veasey, Feltham, Booth, Bredin, Wade (reps, all used: Gardner, Shiell, Mills).

Lewes 2nds League game was conceded by their opponents Newick, and so they played a friendly game away to Seaford 1sts - a team who normally play three Leagues above them. In spite of this difference, Lewes put up a spirited performance in losing 39-8, Lewes' points coming via a James Brown try and a penalty from Josh Farr. Man-of-the-Match was Owen Jones.

The 1sts s have a rest day on Saturday, returning to League duties on 27 January with a potentially tough away fixture at Park House.

The 2nd XV play East Grinstead away in what could be a crucial League fixture, kick-off 2.00 pm.

Further reading