Pipped at the Post!

On a blustery September day, an eager Lewes men’s 4s team travelled to Angmering college to face Worthing 4s for their first league game of the season.

Worthing won the pushback and both teams fought hard from the outset. Lewes showed good composure executing several good passages of play and it did not take long for Copplestone to find the back of the net with an elegant tap past the Worthing keeper (0-1). Worthing pushed back with repeated attacks down the wings but the Lewes defence of Loader, Forster, Cade and Appleton dealt with repeated attacks but sadly not long before half time the Worthing forward scored an excellent goal from the top of the D, the half ended 1-1.

All revved up after the half time talk, Lewes started the half strongly, excellent passing between the Lewes midfield of Stillman, Child, Tilbury, Godwin and Branton led to several near misses, including an inhuman save from the Worthing keeper to deny Tilbury his first Lewes goal. The continued pressure was soon rewarded with a second for Lewes, the culmination of some excellent passing between Middleton and Child, with Copplestone having the final touch (1-2). Lewes continued to deny Worthing any opportunity to counter until with the final whistle Worthing won a short corner. They fired a shot in, a questionable second short corner was given for a foot somewhere around knee height. Palmer made an excellent save to keep the shot out but in so doing went to ground, the rebound was picked up and flicked in for a goal in the dying seconds and with that the game ended 2-2.

There was some excellent hockey played by Lewes laying great foundations for the coming season. Man of the match was a close call between Elliot Middleton, John Child and Charlie Branton with Charlie just getting it. A fantastic effort by all involved and a shame not to come out with a Lewes win!