Lewes RFC

Sun 9 Feb 2025, 11:00

Lewes U15

38 - 0

Crowborough U15s

Lewes U15

Crowborough U15s

The Lewes Lions U15 Raiders played at home on Sunday, in their sixth League One match of the season against Crowborough. The Raiders were aiming to maintain their position in the League One table by securing a home win, but knew that Crowborough had historically been a very tough opposition, with a large forward pack.

Crowborough began with the kick off and quickly pushed into the Lewes half. The Raiders were able to quickly gain possession and pushed Crowborough back to their half way line, after a number of further phases the Raider’s pushed deeper into the Crowborough half, only to be stopped after not releasing. Crowborough were quick to kick to safety.

Over the next two minutes possession changed hands frequently around the half way line, with a number of kicks, each side attempted to find a breakthrough. After five minutes of play the Raiders began a number of quick phases, consistently pushing the Crowborough defensive line back into the Crowborough 22.

After a line out was awarded the Raiders were able to form a maul, pushing the Crowborough pack backwards towards their try line, with a quick break Max Holmes was able to find space and take the ball over for the first score of the match. With a failed conversion, this put the scores at Lewes Raiders 5, Crowborough 0.

At the restart Crowborough were quick to take the ball forward, but the Raiders were again able to take possession and worked hard to push play back to the half way line and after Crowborough were penalised, Lewes were able to mount a quick kick chase into the Crowborough 22. After an unfortunate knock on, Crowborough were awarded the scrum and after a number of phases Lewes were again penalised, allowing Crowborough to kick to the Raider’s 22. At the line out, Lewes again gave away possession and Crowborough kicked close to the Raider's try line. In the line out, the Raiders were able to regain possession and quickly took the ball back to the half way line.

Over the next five minutes Crowborough began to push up with renewed energy, and looked dangerous. However, the Lewes defence held strong and despite losing territory did not allow Crowborough to find the space for an equaliser.

At fifteen minutes into the match, despite pressure from the Crowborough pack in the Lewes 22, the Raiders were able to regain possession and after a quick pop ball from Reggie Hart to Henry Crook, Crook was able to outpace the Crowborough defence taking the ball over the line after a great run down the wing.

With a successful conversion, this put the scores at Lewes Raiders 12, Crowborough 0.

Over the next ten minutes Crowborough renewed their efforts, aiming to achieve their first score. After a number of kicks, the Raiders defence was able to hold the Crowborough pack after they formed a maul to cross the try line.  The Raiders were able to steal possession and take the ball back into the Crowborough 22.

After numerous phases of quick ball, crossing the whole pitch, the Raiders were able to find space, and Louie Stokes was able to find Zac Melville on the wing who crossed the line in the corner for the Raider’s third try, with an unsuccessful conversion this put the score at Lewes Raiders 17, Crowborough 0.

From the start of the second half, the Raiders increased the pace of their attack and immediately pressed up to the Crowborough try line, forcing Crowborough to kick for safety. Lewes were quick to maintain the pressure through possession, and took the ball back into the Crowborough 22, resulting in a scrum. The Crowborough defence held strong, and a number of scrums slowed the Raider’s momentum.

Before ten minutes of the half had elapsed, from a ruck in the Crowborough 22, Hayden Bourne was able to find his way through the Crowborough defensive line and cross the try line for the Raiders for the bonus point, and with a successful conversion, this put the score at Lewes 24, Crowborough 0.

Over the next eight minutes, both teams fought hard for dominance, as the ball quickly changed possession. Neither side was able to find space or significant territory.  On twenty one minutes into the half, from a scrum on the half way line, the Raiders were able to quickly get the ball wide into the hands of Jabez Ormerod Down, he quickly beat a number of defenders and ran the ball deep into the Crowborough 22, just before being tackled into touch Down was able to flick the ball back to Josh Ferguson who was running in support. Ferguson, with a quick change in direction, was able to find space through the Crowborough defence and outpace the remaining defenders to run the ball down the try line and place the ball down under the Crowborough posts. With a successful conversion this took the score to Lewes Raiders 31, Crowborough 0.

With less than ten minutes of the half remaining, Crowborough were determined to not end the game without a score and quickly pushed into the Lewes half. Crowborough were able to then move close to the Raider’s try line after a well-placed kick. From the resulting line-out a scrum was awarded, but Lewes were again able to regain possession with a great run, followed by well-placed grubber kicks by Reggie Hart, who took the ball deep into the Crowborough 22 resulting in a scrum close to the Crowborough try line.

With only three minutes of the match remaining Rupert Collins was able to charge through the Crowborough defence and take the ball over the line for a sixth try for the Raiders, with a conversion this put the scores at Lewes Raiders 38, Crowborough 0.

In the last minutes of the match, both teams continued to look for a score, with both defensive lines holding the attack at the half way line. At the final whistle the scores remained Lewes Lions Raiders 38, Crowborough 0.

Both teams played with passion and determination.  It was a day where everything came together for the Raiders and they were rewarded with one of their most convincing scorelines of the season. The squad are now looking forward to their next league matches where the U15 Raiders play Brighton on Sunday 2nd March at the Stanley Turner Ground, and the U15 Warriors play Worthing at the Stanley Turner Ground on Sunday 9th March.