Lewes show improving signs – Heathfield can Crow – Hastings and Bexhill air concerns over teams in league

Lewes 17 Uckfield 33

Counties 2 Sussex

There is no doubt that the quality of the play of the Lewes RFC first team has shown an improvement since the New Year.

However, Uckfield started strongly as they resisted Lewes’ attacks and raced into a 14-point lead.

But Lewes never gave up, and, despite the early loss of Ed King to an ankle injury, dominated the scrums and were rewarded with yet another Kane Dadswell try that Gus Taylor converted.

Unfortunately, Uckfield increased their advantage with a try straight from the restart, and it was 7-19 at half-time.

Uckfield scored a try straight after half-time that gave them a bonus point and pushed their lead to 26-7, but Lewes weren’t daunted as they really came back into the game in the half.

They were not prepared to give up, despite losing Josh Ellis-Smith with a leg injury, and it was Dadswell who went over once more for a try in the corner.

This was followed by a great run down the right wing by Daniel Elmes for a try in the corner.

The Lewes grandstand was buzzing as Harry Weston was winning line outs and turnovers, with the young centre partnership of Jude Littlechild and William Hoff beginning to show what they can do.

It was at this point that the match was delicately poised at 17-26.

Lewes only needed a further score to gain two bonus points, but an unfortunate yellow card saw a complete reversal of fortunes.

Sadly it was Uckfield, playing with an extra man, who broke away to score under the posts to seal their victory and make the final score 17-33.

Lewes were deflated but not downhearted. They can be pleased with the performances of their younger players, with Nathan Roberts another one to catch the eye, and can reflect that they were certainly the better team in the second half.

On the neighbouring pitch, Lewes seconds were playing St Leonard’s Cinque Ports.

The first strike came from team captain Tom Petty, who battled through to score, but Cinque Ports struck back and the half ended with the scores level at 7-7.

The second half got off to a flyer with Lewes scrum half Ed Hill scoring a fantastic try. Both of Lewes’ veteran wingers also dotted over the line, although their efforts were both unsuccessful; the pass to Simon Sampson being ruled forward, and Brian Moran losing his grip on the ball as he dived over the line.

Cinque Ports answered with their second and final try, once again levelling the scores, until Alex Audsley-Mckenna nabbed one of the most opportunistic tries any of us have ever witnessed.

The scrum half of the Cinque Ports missed the ball when attempting a box kick on the five-metre line, leaving the ball for Alex to pick it up and dot it over the line.

The final try was the cherry on top for Lewes, as Gerard Basson cut his way through the defensive line to run in a 60m solo effort.

But the try was scrubbed by the referee for a substitution misunderstanding, and the full-time score was 19-14.

- Paul Nicholl

Heathfield 20 Crowborough 18

Heathfield narrowly beat spirited Crowborough with almost the last kick of this Counties 1 Kent clash.

Heathfield opened the scoring with a penalty by Toby Simpson but a combination of strong Crowborough scrummaging, good defence and handling errors meant there was no further scoring until just before half-time.

Crowborough often kicked out of defence but this provided the home backs with good attacking ball. An unlucky bounce denied Harry Slinn Hawkins a fine try.

Finally home fly-half Lucas Cuming made a run into the bottom corner and this time Jay Massey-Taylor finished, Simpson adding the extras.

After ten minutes of the second half Crowborough scored a long range pushover try.

They took the lead entering the third quarter with a good backs handling move into the bottom corner finished by Rob Horsfall-Turner. The lead was extended by two James Hart penalties to 10-18.

An attacking lineout under the home balcony was driven over and adjudged to have been held up but a defender had entered the maul illegally so a penalty try resulted.

With a few minutes remaining Heathfield pinned Crowborough back in their own 22. Crowborough eventually conceded a penalty at a breakdown. Simpson stepped up to knock over what was not a straightforward kick and thus collect the win.

Tomorrow Heathfield entertain Deal & Betteshanger (2.30pm).

- Philip Bell

Hastings and Bexhill 7 Westcombe Park RFC II 36

The final score does not tell the story of this game.

Westcombe Park’s first XV play in the premier division of the London and South East regional league and are currently 14 points clear at the top of the table. They did not have a fixture on Saturday.

Hastings and Bexhill are not claiming that Westcombe Park fielded a senior side for this level eight fixture, but it was obvious from the kick-off that many of the big, strong players in front of them had experience at a higher level.

Senior squads have players on the fringes, others coming back from injury and those coming to the end of their careers and they all need run outs.

To the experienced eye of the H&B touchline faithful this was the situation here.

How could a team that Hastings had beaten away travel to Sussex and blast the home side away in the first quarter of the game?

The fixtures against level four and five clubs are hard, tough games.

They can result in injuries to the lower level players which put them out of action for weeks at a time.

Therefore the squad is weakened for the games at a more equal level and then more losses occur.

Hastings & Bexhill have won four of their 17 league fixtures so far this season and that is to their credit.

They have a good but small squad and nobody can blame them for this situation.

They train twice a week and on many occasions play out of their skins.

Unfortunately against sides like Westcombe Park, Sevenoaks and Canterbury this is not enough.

The H&B bench for this fixture comprised Will Hirst from the 2nd XV, an occasional appearance from John Hannagarth and the retired Ben Davies as front row cover.

They all played their part with determination and exhuberance.

After 20 minutes play the visitors were 19-0in the lead; they had scored three devastating tries, two of which were converted.

H&B were working hard to contain their opponents and hit back with a great try from MoM Calvin Crosby Clark.

The second row forward received the ball in the third phase of a lineout move and crashed over the line.

Skipper Bruce Steadman kicked the conversion and the half-time score was 7-19.

Until the last minute of the second half, Hastings matched their opponents well and held them in this hard-fought game.

For three quarters of the game the score was 7-10; a fantastic performance from H&B, before Park scored two more tries.

Unfortunately Westcombe Park then scored another converted try to give a rather flattering final score of 7-36.

Tomorrow Hastings & Bexhill entertain Vigo RFC with a 2:30pm kick-off at Ark Alexandra Academy.

- Peter Knight

Lewes U14 5 Hastings & Bexhill U14 26

Positional changes in key positions had a real impact despite H&B embracing their customary slow start to go 5-0 down.

They worked their way into the game and responded with No8 Toby Fielder scoring a brace of tries.

One came in the loose from a hack and chase by outside centre Rupert Sheppard and the other from a scrum deep in Lewes territory, Fielder fending off defenders to score.

Line speed was exemplary and compensated for H&B being second best at the ruck for much of this game.

It was also a game of curious refereeing decisions which stifled the flow.

The front row of Alex Usher, Azat Kesen and Teddy Selfe led with aggression, technique and commitment.

The second half saw birthday boy Hayden Gladstone and Taylor Beaney getting a run-out and keeping up the pressure on their opponents.

Eventually, good field position gained from carries by, among others, Kesen and blindside flanker Louis Turpin to shift the play left and created the third try for Sheppard, with the Lewes defence fixed.

The win was completed with Lewes trying to play out; open side flanker Monty Wheeler showing anticipation, intercepting a pass for H&B’s fourth.

Fly-half William Roberts was successful with three of the four conversions.

Hastings & Bexhill RFC are always looking to recruit new players from five years old to adult, girls and boys of all abilities.

Please see their website – www.hastingsrugby.org – or email [email protected] for more information.

Hastings & Bexhill RFC prides itself on a warm welcome to all. Come and have a free, no obligation try out.

- Sean Woodbridge