Despite having the advantage of the wind, sun and slope Lewes struggled to get going in the first half, possibly because they hadn’t played for three weeks. As a result, the opening minutes of the game were rather scrappy, before a succession of penalties against Lewes enabled Eastbourne to open the scoring with a try in the corner that was well converted.

Lewes’ efforts to get back into the game were hampered by elementary mistakes, but after thirty minutes a good drive from an attacking lineout led to the ball being passed down the line for a try by Harry Handley. Eastbourne then struck back with a determined attack that worked an overlap on the right-hand side and a score in the corner.

It was these minutes just before half time that settled the game in Eastbourne’s favour, for they kicked Lewes’ restart back, the kick faded in the wind and a combination of Lewes hesitation and an unlucky bounce gave the hosts a clear run to the posts and a 19-5 lead. At this point the Lewes scrum came under pressure and were being pushed back, conceding a penalty. From the resultant lineout, a smart move delivered a bonus point try that made the half time score 24-5.

Lewes turned round to face the elements, but it was poor tackling that set up an attacking position for Eastbourne. They were given a five-metre scrum over on the left, and cross-kicked across the posts for their right wing to catch and score in the corner. Lewes had yet to get their backs running and passing with the fluency that had been such a feature of their first three matches, but began to put the Eastbourne defence under pressure with some good movement.

Eastbourne buckled under this pressure and lost a player to a yellow card. Lewes were not slow to take advantage of this and Billy Shiell crossed over for a try, after more slick passing, to make the score 29-10. However, Eastbourne came back strongly from the kick off and created an incisive move that was finished off with a try under the posts.

As Lewes responded to this set back, Harry Handley showed his class with an excellent solo effort. It was the first time we had seen him get the opportunity to stretch his legs, and Lewes gained heart from this as they sought to get a bonus point try at least out of this game. But just when it looked like Lewes were certain to score, they were denied by a desperate tackle.

However Lewes kept going and put together some strong running and passing that was only stopped by a high tackle and another Eastbourne yellow card. The penalty gave Lewes an attacking line out, but they could not take advantage of it, giving away a penalty just short of the Eastbourne line.

After the disasters of the last ten minutes of the first half, Lewes had come back well in the second half. Indeed, until the very last play, both sides had scored twelve points and Lewes were unlucky not to have recorded that all-important fourth try. Having been awarded that penalty deep in defence, Eastbourne used it to escape and break away to score their seventh try which made the final score 41-17.

Match Squad:
Will Feltham; Peter Ford, Harry Hanley, Jordan Whiting, Caolan Quinn, Billy Shiell, Tom Rourke; Rob Williams, Finn Spalding, George Durrant; Mike Sullivan, James Sale; Lewis Evans, Elliot Moule (captain), Joe Omar. Subs (all used): Ollie Bowery, Charlie Cowling, Dan Carr.