Boys become men as Lewes qualify for national final

Cometh the hour, cometh the man and at approximately 1.15pm last Sunday young Pete Fuller’s drag flick propelled Lewes Men’s 2nd XI into the final of the National 2nd XI plate. The game was a cup tie in every sense with goals, sin bins, injuries, drama and tension all played out in glorious East Sussex sunshine. Lewes went ahead early as Will Wycherley exploited space down the left of the Bedford defence. However, the hosts were not ahead for long as after a stoppage for a major blood injury, Bedford pounced to make things all square going into half time. And it was not long after the restart that Lewes found themselves behind for the first time as a fortunate penalty corner to the visitors was deflected under the open legs of Josh Pewter. The home crowd need not have feared as a few minutes later Scott Collier’s penalty corner strike ricocheted over the Bedford goalkeeper and levelled the game at two a piece. But with twenty minutes to go the men in green found themselves not only a goal but also a man down as Andy Green was judged to have made a deliberate offence in the Lewes circle - giving away a penalty stroke and receiving a five minute sin bin. Bedford calmly slotted away the penalty leaving Lewes facing the prospect of a double losing weekend. Yet, the hosts, playing probably some of their best hockey of the season were not finished – after Sam Rea and Alex Lickorish combined brilliantly on the right hand side to steal the ball from the opposition left back the resulting attack brought a second composed finish of the game from the ever threatening Will Wycherley. The game was now poised at three all but the momentum was all with the hosts and with only minutes of the match left Lewes won a final penalty corner. Up stepped Pete Fuller to rocket the decisive finish high to the right of the despairing Bedford keeper and whilst the last few minutes of the game seemed to drag for an age Lewes were never threatened again and deservedly won the tie. The team go forward to face Beeston in the National Plate 2nd XI final on 2nd May at the Lee Valley National Hockey Arena, Olympic Park.

Report by Pete Thomas