Lewes no match for Tindal's Georgians

... but the hosts can take some positives from this defeat. Still missing the experience of skipper Matt Clark (hamstring) and Alex Warner (back injury) it was always going to be a tough task to get anything from this match with a young side.

Lewes started poorly, conceding two early goals as a penalty corner strike went through goalkeeper Josh Pewter and then the league’s top goal scorer and ex Great Britain Olympian James Tindall deflected home a right wing cross as the home defence went missing. To Lewes' credit rather, than rolling over they took the game to Old Georgians by defending resolutely and breaking quickly exposing their lack of pace in defence. Two penalty corners came to nothing but then Chris Spruce and Alex Baxter exchanged passes just over the half way line and Spruce drove into the circle and scored with a fierce shot into the bottom of the goal to make it 2-1. Just before half time Baxter was thwarted by the goalkeeper when he found himself one on one at the top of the circle from an Ed Firth pass as Lewes finished in the ascendency.

The second half saw Old Georgians regain control as Lewes struggled to maintain the momentum from the end of the first half. They were not helped throughout the half losing players to green and yellow cards as the pressure built. James Calloway and Tom Stratford in defence broke up a number of attacks but could do nothing as Tindall grabbed a hat-trick with two reverse stick strikes from penalty corners and then ten minutes from time a loose ball into the circle was not cleared and was converted to make it 5-1. Pewter then made a number of good saves to prevent further goals as Lewes's goal was under siege and five minutes before the end with Old Georgians down to ten players James Fuller won a penalty corner which Ben Cooke converted from a rebound to make it 5-2.

On Saturday Lewes have another tough task when they face the journey to Havant who are second in the league and further boosted by reaching the last 8 of the National Cup last weekend.

Report by Paul Spruce