The Lewes U14s played their penultimate friendly of the year on Sunday at Brighton. Brighton had played in Pool A in the last part of the season, while Lewes were fresh from ending the season undefeated at the top of Pool B. This was a real chance for the Lewes pack to measure the progress they had made over the season against a top tier team.

Lewes came into the match, determined to play their own style of rugby, and from the kick off, scored their first try in the first thirty seconds with some great teamwork, ending in a run made by Leon Hutson taking Lewes over the Brighton try line. After a failed conversion, the score was Lewes 5, Brighton 0.

For the next six minutes, the Lewes Pack put Brighton under immense pressure in their 22. The forwards constantly probed for space with well managed crash balls, while the ball was quickly passed down the line forcing the Brighton defence to work hard to avoid a second try.

After seven minutes of play, Brighton were able to gain possession and looked for quick ball out on the wing, Lewes, through a disciplined defensive line, managed to quickly stop this attack and regain possession. Lewes were able to maintain pressure and discipline and after a number of scrums, lineouts and penalties in the Brighton half, Laurie Blomfield was able to crash through the Brighton defence taking the score to Lewes 12, Brighton 0, after a successful conversion by Reggie Hart.

Brighton did not allow the pressure to affect their game plan, and worked hard to put Lewes under pressure in their own 22. For the last seven minutes of the half, Brighton moved through numerous phases, scrums and lineouts, looking for their first score of the match, pushing the Lewes defence back onto their own try line. After a scrum, Lewes were able to break the sustained Brighton attack with a run made by Hart, almost crossing the Brighton line. After a penalty kick, Lewes were able to regroup and Hart crossed the line in the last seconds of the half, putting the score at Lewes 17, Brighton 0 after a failed conversion.

In the second half Lewes again started quickly with a great phase of play, taking them well into the Brighton half. However, Brighton immediately came back at the Lewes line with renewed determination and the following seven minutes of play saw Lewes firmly pinned in their own 22. After numerous phases, many within a meter of the Lewes line, the Brighton pack were not able to find the space to allow them to put points on the scoreboard. Lewes were finally able to break the deadlock after a scrum on the 10m line allowed Lewes to get a quick ball to Hutson, who outpaced the chasing Brighton pack to cross the line for a second time. With a successful conversion, this put the scores at Lewes 24, Brighton 0.

With this score, Brighton now found themselves under pressure in their own 22, and Lewes were quick to press the advantage, with Frankie Travers crossing the line after a Lewes Scrum. After a failed conversion this put the scores at Lewes 29, Brighton 0.
Brighton did not allow their heads to drop, and again mounted a determined attack, with numerous phases in the Lewes defensive half. After each scrum, lineout and phase play, the Lewes defensive line held and in the last minutes of the match, Lewes were again able to mount an attack, with some great phases down the line, Hutson was able to cross the line for a third time after an assist from Henry Crook. With a conversion, this put the score at Lewes 36, Brighton 0.

Both teams should be congratulated on a great match. Brighton showed great determination and on a number of occasions came close to putting points on the board. Lewes will be pleased, not only with the win, but also with the way they played. This will have given the team a great confidence boost for next season and for their upcoming 7s matches on the 19th April at the Stanley Turner Ground and for their tour matches in May.

Team: Laurie Blomfield, Harry Boot-Handford, Fin Simmonds (C), Logan Wood, Max Holmes, Leo Vincent, Frankie Travers, James Skelton, Josh Ferguson, Reggie Hart, Ollie Beddows, Leon Hutson, Sam Campbell-Brown, Jabez Ormerod Down, Henry Crook, Isaac Parsons, Charlie Joe-Green, Charlie Cootes, Ollie Smith.