Mens 5s beat local rivals Brighton

This game between the 2nd and 3rd placed teams in Division 4 is always a friendly, close and hard fought affair and despite the final score, Saturday was no different.

The ‘Steve’ combination opened the scoring for the Visitors midway through the first half when Fuller struck the ball across the D and Loader cheekily used the crook of his stick to sweep the ball around his back and between the Goalkeeper’s open legs.

Brighton threatened to equalise immediately firstly from open play, then a short corner and finally a long corner but each shot at goal was cleared by the Lewes ‘Keeper and Man of the Match, Jon Cornish. The half-time whistle blew with the home side trailing.

The second half began with Brighton again looking for an equaliser but the Lewes defence of Tim Bullen, Simon Murray and Dave Cooke stood solid. Lewes added a second after eight minutes from a short corner when Steve Fuller feinted a shot and slipped the ball left to Loader who confidently struck the ball in to the bottom corner under the diving Brighton keeper.

Brighton continued to press high and were rewarded with numerous short corners none of which were converted as the pacy Tim Bullen blocked each strike at goal and every man in green defended their new mantra - ‘Hard to Beat'. As the clock entered the final ten minutes any faint hopes of a home-side comeback were extinguished by Malcolm Wain’s excellent reverse stick finish from close range.

Lewes trail East Grinstead by three points and welcome the league leaders to the Southdown Club on Saturday morning.