Lewes Mens 2s Reborn as Winners

We’re into lambing season in Sussex and, as befits a team with good representation from the agriculture sector, the Lewes 2’s squad is bursting forth with a new lease of life. Lewes men's 2s kept their division 1 hopes alive with a hard-fought victory against Middleton 1s.

This was a must win game. And the bookies might have been forgiven for making Middleton 3-1 favourites. Mostly because the away game, dubbed “cardgate” by club jokers, was a 5-1 drubbing, in which Lewes struggled to keep 11 men on the pitch and were at one point down to 7. Which is further proof that when someone from the older generation gets misty-eyed about the “good old days” you can look them square on and say “Pipe down Grandpa. You’re talking tosh. I remember them so called old days. And they were rubbish”

But let’s snap back to the present. And a warm, sunlit Southdown club. Full of the promise of spring. And perhaps victory for the boys in green?

With decent support, Lewes got cracking from the offset, playing some of their best hockey of the season in the opening 20 minutes. The team was set up nicely from the back with Wood and Whiting well in control of Middleton’s pace and movement. The opposition may have been moving well but Lewes’ attack looked more threatening. Rideout and Rae (S) looked threatening and were judging their runs well. Bentley, Thomas and Clinch looked well in control of the midfield. Lewes pressure looked set to pay off. Rae (J) and Wain working off each other well to set-up a series of decent chances that should have been put away. But that’s not the Lewes 2s way. Why make it easy?

A slight sense of foreboding crept into the ground. Some last ditch tackles at the back were needed as Middleton’s attack pressed, eventually drawing a couple of smart saves from Bullmore - including one balletic dive which, if not entirely necessary did the job, and would have had Darcy Bussell salivating. Lewes responded well to this pressure and won a series of short corners, but weren’t quite able to convert.

However Lewes went into the second period knowing they’d edged the first and, if they continued to create chances, one would be put away. Sure enough, with the sun beating down, Blackwell and Clinch’s persistent pestering of the Middleton midfield paid off, and with the pressure applied, Lewes finally hit the backboard with a well taken Daniels goal, nicely set-up by one of Rae’s trademark mazey runs.

But Middleton bit back. And almost converted one of their 3 penalty corner attempts of the half, only to be denied by a lovely Whiting take off the line. Seconds late they threatened again, only to be denied by Bullmore’s box.

It was getting hot, and Lewes’ possession was starting to take it’s toll on a Middleton side forced to chase the ball. With space opening up all over the pitch it was Rideout who stepped up, twisted his opposite number and settled Lewes’ nerves with a second goal.

The home support were jubilant. Middleton didn’t really threaten again. Lewes emerged well deserved victors. And even if the post-match voting was of such a low calibre (the guest appearance from the umpires being the highlight) the team can take heart from a gutsy performance.

MOTM: Wain and Bullmore

Report by Simon Bullmore