Guernsey Ladies ended Lewes’ unbeaten start to the season in the tightest of NC South East South One games. In so doing our ladies moved to within a point of Lewes at the top of the table with a string of home games to come in the second half of the season.

Guernsey started brightly enough but it was not until nearing half time the breakthrough came as Guernsey drew the play to the left-hand side to set up some good passing to the right where Hannah McLennan forced her way over for the first try of the afternoon. The conversion was missed. Lewes came back fighting but we were able to keep them out as the half time whistle blew.

The second half was much the same as the first with Guernsey trying to keep the Lewes backline from gaining ball in hand, however after the ball squirted loose from a ruck Lewes pounced on it and shipped the ball quickly to the left-hand side where the winger showed some real pace to get on the outside of the Guernsey backs to run in and score under the posts. The conversion kick was made and Lewes were in the lead for the first time at 7-5.

The next 20 minutes saw Guernsey react positively, still keeping things narrow and using a mixture of hard yards and hard running from the big forward ball carriers. Eventually, a crack appeared in the Lewes defense and Tanya Scholtz powered past a couple of defenders to dive across the line to retake the lead.

Scholtz and Guernsey were to score again 10 minutes later after Scholtz picked up from the back of a ruck and spotted a gap and fending off the covering tacklers finished off a superb solo effort from 25 yards out. Again Jemma Crouse was unlucky with a tricky kick but we had an eight-point lead with time fast running out for the home team.

There was one more fight back from Lewes who managed to get their hands on the ball and make use of their backs to score in the far left corner after some desperate covering tackles didn’t quite manage to get the Lewes player into touch. The kick was missed and the final whistle blew.

‘I am very proud of how the team executed and stuck to the game plan,’ said the coach.
‘It may seem like a simple tactic but it’s actually very difficult to maintain a completely forward orientated game for the duration of a match and it’s also a big ask of the forwards physically but they did themselves proud. It was a very physical encounter and Lewes lost two players to injury in the first half and we had to make two changes of our own due to knocks in the latter stages of the second half.'

‘Every player, particular in the forwards had nothing left to give at the end of the game, the tanks were completely empty and I’m not surprised, the shift they put in today was as impressive as I have watched, there were some real warriors out there today. Winning the match was the most important thing and I told the players that it didn’t matter if we only won by a point as long as we won. With two matches coming up before Christmas that we should realistically win it is feasible (especially if Medway can turn over Lewes) that we could end 2016 at the top of the table and if not we should at least be able to go into the New Year in second place with nearly all our home matches yet to come in the New Year, so things are looking very good at this point in the season.’

Team:
1. Michaela Rabey
2. Sophie O'Connell
3. Heidi Mahy
4. Kristine Vavere
5. Rebecca Drury
6. Tanya Scholtz
7. Fiona Power
8. Eleanor Woodward
9. Jemma Crouse (C)
10. Fiona Ashworth
11. Sarah Woodington
12. Hannah McLennan
13. Jillian Smith
14. Anneka Saunders
15. Vicki Rang

Replacements:
16. Andrea Harris
17. Fiona Drape
18. Michelle Schofield
19. Emma Rayson