HSBC 10 Hastings & Bexhill 30

A BONUS point win and a performance packed with ambition, exuberance and promise - Hastings & Bexhill could hardly have hoped for a better start to their debut outing in Kent One on Saturday.

Against a large HSBC side whose game plan seemed limited to dominating the set scrums and hoofing their abundant possession into H&B territory, the visitors chose to use the bowling green surface to develop the running, off-loading game they successfully unveiled the previous week at Crawley.

Their adventurous spirit was exemplified by an attack on the HSBC line from kick-off, culminating in a long miss-pass that would have led to a score in the first couple of minutes - had it not been intercepted and run back at H&B, testing their scrambling defence.

With a different front row from the previous week, and a handful of first team candidates still unavailable, H&B’s set piece looked shaky early on, but aggressive tackling and much-improved work in the loose turned over plenty of ball. With a game plan to clear ball from their own 22 but run anything else that looked promising, H&B were sharp and dangerous with ball in hand.

A thunderous breakout from 22 to 22 by veteran number 8 Steve McManus only failed to result in a score due to early season rustiness in handling by his support. And that was the story of much of the first half: sparkling moves and assured off-loading ending in a hopeful pass to support that wasn’t quite close enough; over-eager hands fumbling a final pass with the line beckoning.

But unlike the previous season, mistakes didn’t chip away at confidence, and H&B’s fast-developing backline continued to run hard at a slower opposition that showed signs of wilting in the hot sunshine.

A hard-running breakout by Ben Campbell led to a further powerful surge by skipper Paul Sandeman and a pass ajudged forward to Jimmy Adams with the line in sight.

Soon after, H&B were penalised after a beasting in a set scrum, and HSBC went 3-0 up against the run of play.

Collisions at the coalface were fierce, but H&B were holding their own. But despite some promising moves, including a good break by Lewis Sealy and impressive touches by young Dillon Newell, it was HSBC who retook the lead after 30 minutes from a rare H&B fumble fielding an attacking kick, then powerful HSBC rucking and a consequent try.

Another Campbell break, followed by slick handling from Kit and Piers Claughton, looked threatening, while dynamic wide-out tackling by Bruce Steadman and Matt Harbord kept HSBC out. Right on halftime, H&B snatched a crucial equalising try by Chris Stern from a clean break by Kit Claughton.

Playing down the slight slope, H&B gradually took control of the game in the second half, destructive tackling by Piers Claughton, Adams and Sandeman in particular, helping create an increasing number of overlap chances against a tiring defence.

Within minutes, a mazy Steadman break-out was moved slickly through hands for a Sandeman try, giving H&B a lead for the first time. With the visitors’ pack getting a grip on the set piece, Mark Piotrowski burst clear of the breakdown with the line in sight, only to be called back for a knock-on.

Each team missed a penalty kick, before H&B turned over a scrum on the 22, Sandeman breaking for the line and popping to replacement Ash Diedericks, who tore in for a touchdown, 20-10.

Adams then stole HSBC lineout ball, McManus broke, and the ball was moved wide only for a forward pass to scupper a certain score. From the resultant scrum, the ball was spun down the line, Sealy bursting over in the corner. With neither side able to convert any of their tries, this took the score to 25-10.

HSBC remained a threat, smartly snaffling up any loose ball, and they launched a sustained attack, sabotaged by uncertain running lines and nervy handling.

It was Harbord who had the last word for H&B, a chancy attacking kick from within his 22 chased up hard, confident footwork befuddling the defence for a great solo score.

"We have trained hard on playing with pace and keeping the ball alive,” said assistant coach Kit Claughton. “It won't always work, but when it does it's very difficult to defend against. What was pleasing was, against a determined defence, we created a lot of chances - not all were taken, but we seem to playing with freedom and expression."

H&B: Roche, Umpleby, Spatchurst (Williams), Adams, Piotrowski (Sewell), Stern, Sandeman (c), McManus, P Claughton, Sealy, Harbord, K Claughton, Newell, Campbell, Steadman (Diedericks).A BONUS point win and a performance packed with ambition, exuberance and promise - Hastings & Bexhill could hardly have hoped for a better start to their debut outing in Kent One on Saturday.

Against a large HSBC side whose game plan seemed limited to dominating the set scrums and hoofing their abundant possession into H&B territory, the visitors chose to use the bowling green surface to develop the running, off-loading game they successfully unveiled the previous week at Crawley.

Their adventurous spirit was exemplified by an attack on the HSBC line from kick-off, culminating in a long miss-pass that would have led to a score in the first couple of minutes - had it not been intercepted and run back at H&B, testing their scrambling defence.

With a different front row from the previous week, and a handful of first team candidates still unavailable, H&B’s set piece looked shaky early on, but aggressive tackling and much-improved work in the loose turned over plenty of ball. With a game plan to clear ball from their own 22 but run anything else that looked promising, H&B were sharp and dangerous with ball in hand.

A thunderous breakout from 22 to 22 by veteran number 8 Steve McManus only failed to result in a score due to early season rustiness in handling by his support. And that was the story of much of the first half: sparkling moves and assured off-loading ending in a hopeful pass to support that wasn’t quite close enough; over-eager hands fumbling a final pass with the line beckoning.

But unlike the previous season, mistakes didn’t chip away at confidence, and H&B’s fast-developing backline continued to run hard at a slower opposition that showed signs of wilting in the hot sunshine.

A hard-running breakout by Ben Campbell led to a further powerful surge by skipper Paul Sandeman and a pass ajudged forward to Jimmy Adams with the line in sight.

Soon after, H&B were penalised after a beasting in a set scrum, and HSBC went 3-0 up against the run of play.

Collisions at the coalface were fierce, but H&B were holding their own. A break by Kit Claughton and fast hands from Piers Claughton and Lewis Sealy saw Matt Harbord step in under the posts to give H&B a 5-3 lead.

But despite some promising moves, including a good break by Lewis Sealy and impressive touches by young Dillon Newell, it was HSBC who retook the lead after 30 minutes from a rare H&B fumble fielding an attacking kick, then powerful HSBC rucking and a consequent try.

Another Campbell break, followed by slick handling from Kit and Piers Claughton, looked threatening, while dynamic wide-out tackling by Bruce Steadman and Matt Harbord kept HSBC out. Right on halftime, H&B snatched a crucial equalising try by Chris Stern from a clean break by Kit Claughton.

Playing down the slight slope, H&B gradually took control of the game in the second half, destructive tackling by Piers Claughton, Adams and Sandeman in particular, helping create an increasing number of overlap chances against a tiring defence.

Within minutes, a mazy Steadman break-out was moved slickly through hands for a Sandeman try, giving H&B a lead for the first time. With the visitors’ pack getting a grip on the set piece, Mark Piotrowski burst clear of the breakdown with the line in sight, only to be called back for a knock-on.

H&B turned over a scrum on the 22, Sandeman breaking for the line and popping to replacement Ash Diedericks, who tore in for a touchdown, 20-10.

Adams then stole HSBC lineout ball, McManus broke, and the ball was moved wide only for a forward pass to scupper a certain score. From the resultant scrum, the ball was spun down the line, Sealy bursting over in the corner, 25-10.

HSBC remained a threat, smartly snaffling up any loose ball, and they launched a sustained attack, sabotaged by uncertain running lines and nervy handling.

Harbord had the last word for H&B, a chancy attacking kick from within his 22 chased up hard, confident footwork befuddling the defence for a great solo second try.

"We have trained hard on playing with pace and keeping the ball alive,” said assistant coach Kit Claughton. “It won't always work, but when it does it's very difficult to defend against. What was pleasing was, against a determined defence, we created a lot of chances - not all were taken, but we seem to playing with freedom and expression."

H&B: Roche, Umpleby, Spatchurst (Williams), Adams, Piotrowski (Sewell), Stern, Sandeman (c), McManus, P Claughton, Sealy, Harbord, K Claughton, Newell, Campbell, Steadman (Diedericks).