London South East Two

Lewes 22

Old Reigatians 21

Dave Kelly could not put over a kickable late penalty to win a close game in which the lead oscillated between the sides.

Despite having more control over the first half, Old Reigatians were unable to score as many points as they would have liked and Lewes finished the half 8-7 up. In a more even second half, both sides scored two converted tries.

Just like in September, Lewes prevailed by a point.

Although ORs were in Lewes's half for most of the first quarter, the hosts scored first after seven minutes.

Their full-back kicked out of defence down the touch line and followed through, dribbled the ball through the defence and touched down near the corner.

ORs' pressure was soon rewarded with a kickable penalty for offside, but Kelly missed.

The hosts continued to counter. A kick out of defence was fielded by Nick Sauni who broke through and passed to Drew Bogdanovs in support, who scored under the posts. Kelly converted.

The visitors continued to attack but the forays broke down, despite some good runs from full-back James Hudson. Over exuberance from the OR number seven and the Lewes number six after about 25 minutes resulted in 10 minutes in the sin bin for both forwards.

Lewes perked up and a rare excursion into the visitors' half resulted in a kickable penalty which was converted. Lewes continued to pressure the Reigatian line but were unable to add to their score before half-time.

Kelly made the first notable break in the second half but was stopped by the Lewes defence on their 22.

From this position, pressure from ORs eventually led to try under the posts after six minutes, scored by Sauni from a well rehearsed move from a set scrum. Kelly converted.

The hosts had more possession and applied more pressure in this third period, mainly through their backs, with the OR defence conceding penalties.

Lewes missed a kickable penalty after 15 minutes. They had the ball over the line a few minutes later, but the defence held out. After about 20 minutes they succeeded, with a try under the posts, as the defence tired.

The conversion was potted, restoring Lewes's one point lead.

Pressure on Lewes's defence after a change in ORs scrum personnel soon resulted in a try, when Kelly charged down a clearance kick and ran through to score.

Kelly added the conversion to put the visitors back in the lead.

The pressure continued but Lewes counter attacked. The defence again conceded penalties, which enabled the hosts to get within five metres of the Reigatian line. Moving the ball quickly from a set scrum, Lewes eventually breached the defence and scored near the posts with about five minutes of the match remaining.

The conversion put Lewes ahead again. Hudson again tried to make ground from full-back and from a position 30 metres out ORs were awarded a kickable penalty, following an offence at a lineout. Unfortunately Kelly's kick did not go over.

Old Reigatians: Jurgs, Snelling, Jackson, Long, Bartlett, Crisp, Bogdanovs, Chesterton, A Forsyth, Kelly, Gale, Bailey, Sauni, Rowland, Hudson. Replacements: Slaughter, M Campbell, Williams.