NOT for the first time this season Jersey RFC contrived to throw away a healthy lead in a London South Division II fixture.

Lewes, 19-5 down at half-time, came back to go ahead 26-19 in the second half before Jersey salvaged a point, to make it 26-26, just two minutes from time.

Although Jersey, as usual, gave away a catch and drive try early in the first half, they were brimming with confidence following two Richie Griffiths’ scores and a Gareth Jeffreys’ try plus two Steve Mee conversions in the first 40 minutes.

And, as coach Dai Burton explained after the game: ‘We were kicking well out of hand, playing controlled rugby and they (Lewes) must have thought they would leave the field with a cricket score against them.

‘But in the second half we gave away too many penalties, allowed them back into the match and, at times, walked rather than ran back to the breakdowns.

‘It is noticeable the difference in tiredness levels between the players who fly out to the UK on a Saturday morning compared to those who travel on a Friday.

Ultimately, however, this was a point won rather than a point lost.

‘What we need now is another four points in January.

At the end of the season three teams go down.

We fit comfortably in this division, but the players have to play to their potential in every game; that, and to travel over with the rest of us on Friday night.’ So, not for the first time this season, Jersey were dominant for fully 40 minutes, and they went into the lead after ten minutes following a Steve O’Brien break.

Having drawn the full-back, he slipped the ball to Griffiths who ran underneath the posts.

Steve Mee converted.

Even the inevitable catch and drive try by Lewes, following a penalty and kick into touch, five yards short of the Jersey line, five minutes later, didn’t detract from a Jersey side which was on a roll.

Midway through the half another O’Brien break, another pass to Griffiths, and the versatile backrow player was through for his second try.

‘There were no problems; but I must admit that at half-time I was worried because none of the players had dug deep; and I knew Lewes would come back at them,’ explained Burton.

The next try, converted by Mee, came just before half-time when Griffiths caught the ball in his own 22, marked it, then fed the ball out wide to Whelan whose pass to Gareth Jeffreys saw him dart beneath the posts.

So, Jersey were 19-5 in the lead with 40 minutes remaining.

‘They had fast wingers and a fast full-back, so, in the second half, as they threw caution to the wind, their winger kicked ahead and won the race to the line to make it 19-12,’ said Burton.

‘Their kicker converted, but not before the ball had rolled over five yards forward after he’d placed it.

Instead of moving it back to the referee’s mark, he picked it up from nearer the posts and drop-kicked the ball over, which the referee allowed.

‘After that they were awarded a penalty try, before one of their big centres went off, having been battered and bruised in the tackle by Andy Whelan.

‘Their replacement centre then scored a converted try after good inter-passing, which made it 26-19 with five minutes remaining.’ In Burton’s words, the Jersey pack was now ‘creaking’ in the set scrum but they were still winning the ball and, after maintaining the pressure, Jersey had a five to two overlap when one of the Lewes’ players deliberately knocked down a Josh Chamier try-making pass.

‘It should have been a penalty try for us,’ said Burton, ‘and at the very least their player should have been sin-binned – we’d already lost Brett Els for ten minutes for allegedly lying on the ball.

But, from the penalty, Paul Nayar tapped the ball, passed it to Richie Griffiths, who stepped the full-back and scored beneath the posts.

Steve Mee converted, to make it 26-26 with two minutes remaining.

‘On balance, a point won.’ Team: Marcus Nobes (Peter O’Connor), Josh Chamier, Jim Brimelow, Mark Peters, Ian Henderson, Brett Els (Harry Bonn), Richie Griffiths, Steve O’Brien, Paul Nayar, Darren Toudic, Steve Mee, Mark White, Andy Whelan, James Milner, Gareth Jeffreys.