Shooters Hill 39 Hastings & Bexhill 10

SHOOTERS Hill have a settled team reportedly unbeaten at home for three years, and on Saturday despite a mini-comeback in the final quarter H&B never looked like spoiling that record.

H&B’s current chronic weakness in depth (on a day a dozen of the squad were unavailable or injured they were unable to field a full replacements bench), left them unable to recreate the marked improvements they’ve been making under their new coaching regime.

By contrast, their hosts’ pack played simple rugby well, using their powerful number 8 and locks to batter the ball upfield, while their quick stand-off enjoyed the options of kicking long to the corners to allow their pack to maul the ball, or giving his strong and pacey wings opportunities on the flanks.

The upside for H&B was that heads stayed up, they defended bravely and fought for everything, and as a result were able to claw their way back into the game when Hill started tiring. There was also the bonus of a promising debut from teenage Tom Waring on the wing, who made some brave tackles and near the end fielded a difficult kick, returning it with interest to provide an H&B attacking platform.

In perfect playing conditions, the game set off as a physical battle, both sides striving for dominance. It was H&B who took an early lead, Paul Sandeman converting a long penalty opportunity after eight minutes.

But with lineouts untidy, and Hill dominating in the set scrum and maul, it was only a matter of time before the hosts asked questions of H&B’s defence. The visitors averted one score, the speedy stand-off putting a foot in touch after a break from a rolling maul. H&B cleared their lines but on 15 minutes another driven maul from a lineout gave Hill a 7-3 lead.

Hill were doing most of the attacking, and depriving H&B of any good go-forward ball, but the visitors were doing their best with scraps, quick handling negated though by lack of penetration.

Several times H&B kept Hill out after minutes in the red zone, and it was a vivid break from his own half by their wing, who then beat two H&B tackles, that led to their second score in the corner, 12-3. Shortly after, Hill sucked in the defence and used the space out wide for a simple try in the corner, 19-3. A fight-back right on halftime saw H&B drive into Hill’s 22 and good work on the ground and slick handling saw Kit Claughton break with Rob McManus on his shoulder, the latter off-loading to Tony Roche who drove over to close the score to 19-8.

In the second half an early penalty extended Hill’s lead to 22-8, and minutes later a fine break by their 10 put their other wing in at the far corner, 27-8.

Though H&B were guilty of falling off some tackles, and losing their shape, there were plenty of big hits going in, Sandeman putting himself about all over the pitch and the Claughton brothers winning turnovers from some thumping tackles, while Steve McManus and Jimmy Adams were leading a fierce fightback from the pack.

Piers Claughton got close to a score but was tackled into touch, and Sandeman capitalised on the field position by charging down a clearance kick and beating the defence to the loose ball over the line, 27-13.

With good lineout work by Adams and Jason Holewell, H&B were gaining parity, but Hill’s massive no 8 swung the balance back with a bullocking run for a touchdown under the posts, 34-13 with the final quarter to go.

Five minutes later another pushover try put Hill’s win beyond doubt, 39-13.

But H&B’s spirit stayed strong, and a great drive by Holewell followed by good hands led to Piers Claughton running the ball in under the posts to close the score to 39-20. And there it stayed for a last 10 minutes very much like the first 10.

"Shooters Hill are a good team and played very well,” said backs coach Kit Claughton. “But we seemed to lose our shape and pattern. We didn't chase kicks with much conviction and we allowed ourselves to be bullied by them. However, we will learn from it; if we continue to get numbers at training, we will improve."

H&B: Spatchurst, Umpleby, Roche, Adams, Piotrowski (Cullingford), R Mcmanus (Holewell), Sandeman (c), S McManus, P Claughton, Sealy, Waring, K Claughton, Diedericks, Campbell, Steadman.

Report by Russ C