Lewes manager Peter Boyse has vowed his team will bounce back from the crushing disappointment of missing out on promotion to hockey's National League premier division.

A 2-2 draw against Doncaster in front of a 400-plus crowd at the Southdown Club on Sunday meant Lewes were pipped at the final hurdle. A 6-0 win for Loughborough Students at rock-bottom Hounslow meant they took the the sole promotion spot from division one.

But Boyse said: "We will be back next year. The boys will take a positive note from the season. We came very close, we didn't quite make it in the end, but we will be back next year and looking to go for it again."

Lewes went into the game knowing they had to win against a Doncaster side they had never beaten before. It was a win-or-bust situation and the draw meant they missed out on going up by a single point.

Boyse said: "We are very disappointed. We feel we could have won, we had the chances. We had more of the game but we were not able to convert our chances.

"Doncaster are a very good side. They defended well and played hard. They were never going to give us any presents and we would not have expected them to."

A huge crowd saw the promotion door opening when Lewes took the lead after just 11 minutes. A long ball from Alistair Boyse found brother Jeremy in the circle and he went round the goalkeeper before firing home.

Doncaster drew level in the closing stages of the half following a goalmouth scramble and then took the lead early in the second period following a defensive error.

Lewes forced a succession of short corners but were unable to convert any. Ten minutes from time teenage defender Andy Heslop turned up at the top of the circle to put Lewes level at 2-2 with his first National League goal.

In the closing stages Lewes pushed but they were unable to force an equaliser. Boyse added: "It is very disappointing but we have had a great season. It is just such a shame we missed out, but that's sport."

Lewes: Dale; Standing, Champness, Heslop, Hill; Hawes, Owen, Poulsen; A. Boyse, J. Boyse, Cabay. Sub used: Hurle. Man-of-the-match: Andy Heslop.

East Grinstead ended a difficult season on a positive note with a 2-1 win at Barford Tigers. Richard Payne captained the side in the absence of Mahmood Bhatti and Grinstead spent most of the first half on the defensive.

Andy Spight kept it goalless with some fine saves but Barford eventually went ahead through a disputed penalty stroke.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with plenty of pressure from the home side, but East Grinstead's counter attacks were having more effect with some incisive passing from Ben Payne and Mike Holland releasing the forwards.

Grinstead drew level when a solo run from Phil Coote resulted in a short corner which Dominic Male converted. Barford began to push more players forward but were caught on again when Grinstead won another short corner which Male duly dispatched.

Grinstead: Spight, Holland, Baker, R. Payne, B. Payne, Sears, Mills, Thomas, Asked, Ogden, King, Coote, Male.

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