Lewes RFC

With all the difficulties around goalposts and fencing behind them, Lewes looked forward to their first game of the season on their main pitch. However, there was one extra outside factor that was to come into consideration for this game, which was the bright sun that Lewes had to face from the start, and this certainly handicapped their efforts in the first half.

Despite this, it was Lewes who took the lead when Smith slotted home a penalty goal. However, Seaford came back at them and won a few of their own penalties which drove them closer to the Lewes line. This resulted in a try that was converted, but Lewes then took the opportunity to attack before Seaford cleared and engineered a try under the posts.

At 3-14, Lewes kept going forward and it looked like Harry Carr had got over in the corner, but he was stopped just short. Seaford were able to get over after that, but their third try wasn’t converted, leaving the half time score at 3-19. At half time, the referee, who had been indistinguishable in a pink shirt, changed into yellow, and the sun disappeared behind Kingston Ridge,

Seaford began the second half with their bonus point try, but Lewes hit back almost immediately as Harry Carr scored his first try since the Jersey game. This might have sparked a revival in Lewes’ fortunes but, by then, injuries had made them have all three substitutes on, and Jordy Smith was forced to cover at full back. This weakened their attacking capability, especially as the forwards had been well beaten in the set piece, with the half backs working off scraps.

Nevertheless, Lewes certainly excelled in defence but Seaford piled the pressure on, and another score in the corner resulted to stretch the lead to 8-29. Soon after this Lewes suffered another blow when a yellow card was given for a deliberate knock on. It was one of those days when nothing was going Lewes’ way and Seaford rounded off a miserable afternoon with a couple of goals that left the final score at 8-43.

Lewes had last lost at home back in January and so the winning run that had taken them through most of 2025 was now ended in this rather dismal fashion. However, a look at the league table will reveal that Lewes’ early fixtures were against the weakest teams in the league, and the mid table position they now find themselves in shows where they are more realistically.

Despite the disappointment in this game, in other parts of the Stanley Turner things went well for Lewes RFC. They fielded a 2^nd XV on the clubhouse pitch that recorded a 57-17 win, while inside the clubhouse the vice-presidents and guests enjoyed a magnificent well-attended pre-match Christmas lunch, prepared by our brilliant caterers. Meanwhile, the next challenge for the 1^st XV is an away game against a Brighton Athletic team that currently shares equal points with them. Kick-off is at 2.00 at Waterhall on Saturday 21^st December.

Lewes team: Soltermann; Carr, Green (captain), Goode, Rees; Smith, Lacy; Dadswell, Simmonds, Thomas; Petty, Brooker; Sale, Weston, Medhurst. Replacements: Cross, Roy, Henshaw.