Thanks Steven.

I think my problem was in working from a B&W photo - for both men, and trying to wing a match for the light source using the forward man as the reference.
( not very clever am I !)
I did check my values by posterizing in Photoshop, but perhaps the camera lied in the original photo. The iris of the second man was shown that way in the photo. I knew it was strange wen painting it, but i didn't want to change the expression that the eye was giving us.

Never mind. I will try & do better next time.
Thank you all for taking the time to point out my errors here.
This is how i learn best.