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CLOSE WIN FOR LEWES 2ND'S

CLOSE WIN FOR LEWES 2ND'S

DERECK Wade31 Mar 2019 - 05:40
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LEWES II 's 27 CRAWLEY II's 22

With the 1st XV having to forfeit their away game at Old Williamsonians due to lack of players, attention turned to the second squad's home League match against local rivals, Crawley.
On a perfect, sunny afternoon, an entertaining game saw the home side put on a fine display of attacking rugby to overcome their opponents (whose team comprised a sprinkling of 1st XV players) for a deserved victory,
After a tense start, the scoring began after 10 minutes when right-winger Tom Petty set off on a bullocking run down the flank for a great individual try, converted by outside-half Dan Billin, to pit 7 - 0 on the board. Om the half-hour, Crawley equalised at 7 - 7 after their full-back touched down near the posts for a converted try. Five minutes before the half-time whistle, the visitors went ahead at 7 - 10 following a penalty for a Lewes player not rolling away which their inside-centre kicked over.But Lewes werer almost immediately after awarded a penalty of their own for offside which Billin slotted over to see his side go in at the break even-stevens at 10 - 10.
The second half saw Crawley's heavier pack of forwards attempting to take control, only to be thwarted by organised Lewes defence and their ability to counter-attack via their fleet-footed set of backs. After 50 minutes they re-gained the lead at 13 - 10 with another Billin penalty following a high-tackle offence, and on the hour pulled away to 20 - 10 with a try near the posts from scrum-half Jack Nichol, Billin adding the extras.
But Crawley hit back from the re-start, with a converted try from their scrum-half to narrow matters to 20 - 17, only to Lewes restore the differential at 27 - 17 five minutes from time with a fine try from super-veteran winger Simon Sampson which Billin converted.
In the dying seconds of this absorbing encounter, Crawley managed to edge closer at 27 - 22 with an unconverted try, their scrum-half's second, but Lewes closed out the game for a fine victory.
On Saturday, both Lewes 1st's and 2nd's end their season with home games against Pulborough, both kick-offs 3.00pm.
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