The Lewes U14s played their final league match of the year on Sunday at the Stanley Turner Ground. Their opposition, Chichester, had moved through Pool B with equal success and similar statistics, meaning this encounter, which decided who would finish the season at the top of Pool B, promised to be a hard-fought match between two very evenly matched sides.

The first half started with a high level of intensity, from the kick off, Lewes made a quick ball chase into the Chichester 22 beginning a long sequence of phases which put the opposition on the back foot. With the momentum clearly with Lewes the forwards were able to draw the Chichester defence with a number of crash balls instigated by Finn Simmonds, Harry Boot-Handford, Laurie Blomfield and Charlie Joe-Green, followed by some excellent passing play to the backs, which unfortunately ended with the ball going into touch. Lewes maintained possession and after numerous turn overs and scrums in the opposition 22, Chichester reduced the pressure with a kick into touch in the Lewes half.

Over the next eight minutes Lewes continued to apply pressure in the Chichester half, but frustratingly could not turn this pressure into points. Numerous phases of excellent play by the forwards and backs, orchestrated by Logan Wood and Leo Vincent at Scrum Half and Fly Half, could not create the space that was needed, with Chichester maintaining a tight defensive line which quickly moved up to reduce space for the Lewes pack.

After the constant rain of the previous days, both sides began to find it hard to consistently get the ball into hands and the speed of phase play was drastically reduced.

After ten minutes of play, Chichester had their first breakthrough, with a kick into the Lewes 22, after a dangerous run chase, Henry Crook was able to gather the ball for Lewes and run it back into the safety of the Chichester half.

As the half drew to a close there was very little between both sides, with possession squarely fixed on the half way line and each side looking for space that would enable them to make a run to the line. In the last seconds of the half, after a push into the Chichester 22, an intercepted Lewes pass gave Chichester the space they had been looking for and their backs were able to quickly run the ball up the pitch before the Lewes defensive line could set. Just before Chichester could cross the line, they were pushed into touch, saving Lewes from what could have been a match winning try.

As the second half started the tension of both sides was palpable, resulting in handling errors and decisions that slowed the pace of the match and further frustrated both sides. For the first five minutes of the half Chichester were able to put Lewes under pressure in their 22, and it was only after an excellent kick clearance by Louie Stokes, that Lewes were able to return to a scrum at the half way line.

Lewes, with renewed determination, began to set-up multiple phases of play up and down the pitch, but could not generate the depth in their attacking line to create space to cross the line. Each side continued to look for a breakthrough and despite Lewes maintaining the majority of possession, Chichester constantly looked dangerous, waiting to pounce on any quick ball or take advantage of any handling errors.

In the last minute of play, Lewes were able to finally make a breakthrough on the wing, after numerous phases in the Chichester 22, Louie Stokes was able to take the ball across the line, to put the score at Lewes 5, Chichester 0 after a failed conversion. Chichester quickly came back at Lewes in the hope of an equaliser in the last seconds of the match, but play was ended after the ball was kicked into touch in the Lewes 22.

At the final whistle, both sides were exhausted, after a closely contested game in challenging conditions. Lewes were happy to take the win, despite the narrow margin. This final result means that the U14s end their league matches undefeated at the top of Pool B.

Not content with one match the U14s also contributed to a barbarians side made up of players from Lewes, Worthing, Horsham and Crawley playing a Guernsey development side at Crawley. Charlie Cootes, Ollie Bedows, Finley Sawyer and Elliot Luscombe were outstanding with a close final results of Guernsey Development 38, Barbarians 31.

The team are now looking forward to some final friendlies before the annual Friday Night Lights 7s Tournament at the Stanley Turner Ground in April.

Team Sheet for the Match:

Laurie Blomfield, Jabez Ormerod Down, Olly Scott, Henry Crook, Isaac Parsons, Charlie Joe-Green, Harry Boot-Handford, Fin Simmonds, Logan Wood, Max Holmes, Leo Vincent, Frankie Travers, James Skelton, Reggie Hart, Ollie Smith, Louie Stokes, Sam Campbell-Brown, Rupert Collins (C).