Lewes went top of division one after a comprehensive 4-1 win at home to Indian Gymkhana.

With title rivals Doncaster and Loughborough Students drawing 0-0, Lewes are in the driving seat with five games left.

Manager Peter Boyse, whose side have not lost since November, said: "Although we played pretty well, we were never in top gear and we must raise our game if we want to keep the winning run going. The future is in our own hands now. It will be tight between ourselves, Loughborough and Doncaster, but we are in pole position."

Boyse rates Doncaster as the biggest threat and the season could come down to a dramatic climax with Lewes entertaining Doncaster in the final league game on March 19.

They took just seven minutes to go ahead on Sunday as a free hit outside the circle fell to Danny Poulsen, who scored at the second attempt. The lead was doubled on 19 minutes when a short corner was switched to Alistair Boyse, who struck it home.

Lewes were caught napping in the opening minutes of the second half as Indian Gymkhana reduced the deficit, but within two minutes it was 3-1 as Jeremy Boyse converted a penalty stroke after Luke Hurle was brought down.

Victory was completed when Ben Hawes swapped passes with Ed Cabay before firing home his sixth goal of the season.

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

East Grinstead moved out of the bottom two as they won 3-0 at home to Stourport.

Earlier in the season Stourport had won the reverse fixture 4-2 and for the first ten minutes a similar result looked likely as they stormed the Grinstead circle. Last-ditch tackles by Dominic Male and Richard Leman foiled the visitors and suddenly the pattern of the game changed.

As the Sussex side began to attack, Male continued his goalscoring form by confidently converting two penalty corners within the space of five minutes. After the interval the Grinstead defence remained steady with Richard Baker in good form, while veterans Leman and Richard Organ combined well to create space.

Kevin King provided a good link between the defence and attack, even managing to appear in the Stourport circle to deflect in a fine pass from Mahmood Bhatti for Grinstead's third.

Manager Barrie Sullivan said: "I was very pleased because Stourport are a good team. We have had problems this season getting a full strength side out. On Sunday we managed to do that and it showed in the result."

EAST GRINSTEAD: Spight, Lacey, Leman, B. Payne, Baker, Holland, R. Payne, Bhatti, Mills, Male, Pattison. Subs: Organ, Ogden, Page, Westwood, King. Man-of-the-match: Dominic Male.

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