Brilliant Giles try rouds off massive win

London 2 SouthMaidstone 13 Lewes 19If possession and territorial advantage were the deciding factors in rugby, then Maidstone should have won. That they did not was down to Lewes's stubborn defence and their ability to counter-attack when given the opportunity.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Dec 2005, 12:02 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 22:36 BST

Lewes's flanker Mike Rust gave an early warning of this after seven minutes when he almost scored in the left-hand corner following a break-out from inside his own half.

He made amends some ten minutes later when he burst through the Maidstone midfield and raced 65 metres to score by the posts. Full-back Neil Rumble added the conversion to give Lewes the lead at 7-0.

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The home side continued to press, but the visitors's cover defence coped adequately with attacks both through the pack and wide out. Fly-half Dave Tyrrell took every opportunity to spread the ball wide, but it was from a kick downfield and a hack on that resulted in left winger Scott Patto touching down for Lewes's second try, which Rumble was unable to convert. Nevertheless, a 12-0 lead at the break was no mean achievement.

The pitch at Mote Park has a decided slope and Maidstone played this to considerable effect in the second half. With the surface cutting up, they kicked to the corners and then used their forwards to drive downfield.

The hosts then harnessed the rolling maul to telling effect to control the game for long periods and restrict Lewes to within their own 22-metre zone. Referee Owen Quantick began increasingly to find fault with Lewes's play, and a penalty enabled Maidstone's fly half Dave Charlton to chalk up three points on 47 minutes.

Worst was to follow when, ten minutes later, Lewes were adjudged to have collapsed a rolling maul, resulting in a penalty try to Maidstone, with Lewes lock-forward Lee Raikes sin-binned for the infringement.

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Charlton added the simple conversion, and a further penalty five minutes later saw Maidstone take the lead at 13-12 against a side now a man short.

However, the response from the Sussex side was positive as they drove their way back into the Maidstone 22-metre area. Centre Mark Griffith then made a half-break, and open-side flanker Nick Giles crowned an outstanding game by crashing over near the posts for a fine try. Rumble added the conversion to see his side retake the lead and eventually the honours.

Tomorrow offers Lewes the chance of the first double of the season when they entertain Jersey at the Stanley Turner Ground, 2.15pm.

Lewes: Lundin, D Hemsley (capt), Hawkes, Turner (Nayler), Raikes, Rust, Giles, Brandt, M Sole, Tyrrell, Patto, Saunders, Griffiths, Taylor, Rumble. Replacements: Gray, Barnard.

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