Lewes continue their upsurge in form

The day started promisingly when the Lewes team selection showed only some tinkering with the front row positions, but this consistency of selection really showed through as the match progressed with the home team developing their combinations in an encouraging way.

Behind the improvement that the team is showing is the example of their captain, Will Feltham. For the game had hardly started when his surging break down the left-hand side from full back set up Harry Carr for the first score that was well converted by Tom Moore.

The new skipper has always been a class player for Lewes, and his next move was a splendid illustration of this, as he dummied this way and that for holes to open up in the visitors’ defence as the second try was added to the scoreboard, closely followed by the conversion.

Thomas Moore, who has settled in brilliantly to the fly half position soon nearly replicated this a he side-stepped through and looked like he was heading for the line. However, he was pulled back for an accidental offside and Crawley were able to respond with an attack of their own. This led to their only score of the first half which Lewes had totally dominated, and from the restart Lewes had the chance of increasing their lead with a penalty kick, but it narrowly missed.

However the resultant 22 drop out was caught on the left wing by Harry Carr. He must enjoy playing towards the family farm for he stormed over the line to make the score 19-5 at half time. Although Crawley had been outplayed in the first half, it is credit them that they managed to draw the second half 19-19. Lewes started it well with Harry Carr getting his hat trick with the bonus point try, that was converted by Tom Moore.

There followed a series of scores going to and fro as the half continued. Crawley scored next to make it 26-10, but Raff Green went over for his first try of the season in response and it was 31-10. Crawley’s third try gave them their first conversion, but a fine individual try from Tom Moore restored Lewes’ lead to 38-17.

Although that score meant there was no chance of a losing bonus point, Crawley now sensed that they could get a try bonus point, and just before the end of the match they succeeded in this this, with the conversion taking the final score to 38-24.

Harry Carr’s try scoring takes him just ahead of Tom Moore in points scored so far this season, with 25 to 21, but the Man of the Match was Francesco Coppola, who made his debut against Crawley this time last year and has since become a most valued member of the team

Lewes team: Feltham (captain); Carr, Hoff, Green, Rourke: Moore, Durrant; Martin, Gribble Dadswell; Sale, Evans-Freke; Weston, Coppola, Shiell. Replacements: Gainey, Hutchins, Benson.