"Seconds pile on points"

Hastings & Bexhill II 52 Eastbourne III 5

 After a week off from rugby H&B seconds returned to league action at William Parker school.

They welcomed local rivals Eastbourne, who had posted a good victory over Uckfield the previous week.  The prematch talk was of securing a win and the possibility of a bonus point. Eastbourne turned up with only 13 players and no kit, which added to the home teams confidence.  Luckily for the visitors two players from the thirds, also at home, agreed to trade the blue and white for canary yellow.
 
As has been the case for most of the season, the second team was as strong as ever, with Rob Macmanus returning from a run in the first team and Ryan Madigan and Ryan Hopkins both back from injuries boosting the squad.

The game started in perfect rugby weather and in the perfect way for the home team.  Straight from the kick off the forwards secured the ball allowing Matt Harboard time to put Dave Kemp-Milham into space and with only the full back to round scored under the posts.

With the visitors kicking off again the home team controlled the tempo of the game and had time and space to move down the pitch.  Aidy Mahoney, who is maturing into a very good number 8, was the next to go over the try line again after stirring work from the forwards.

The away team seemed to be unwilling to run the ball at the Hastings backs which resulted in Ben Petty, returning to the 15 shirt, the pleasure of wide open spaces to run into.  This, with the control from the pack, kept pushing Eastbourne back all afternoon. After several breaks and mazy runs Andy Sanders drove over for the third try of the game. A quick tap penalty and a hand off resulted in Kemp-Milham's second which was closely followed by Berwick Smith crashing through several Eastbourne players to secure the bonus point in the first half.

The half time talk was of continued concentration and striving for high standards despite the lack of opposition. 

The home side started very slowly after this and allowed the visitors a little glimmer of hope.  This was soon extinguished by some wonderful flowing back play with Petty providing Jake Stimson a pass to run on to. After fleet-footing his way past a center and his opposition winger he scored in the corner.

Eastbourne managed a try in the corner after an inch perfect kick and very lucky bounce allowed the winger in at the corner flag.

With the forwards ability to ruck and maul the visitors, dragging in the backs to cover, Harboard again put Kemp-Milham in for his third of the game.  Aidy Mahoney finished the try scoring with another for a well earned brace of tries. With this and the fact that he broke the gain line over and over, he was named man of the match.  Kemp-Milham was in better form with the boot kicking 6 from 8 conversions this week.

"We continued with the form over the past weeks again today, the continuity of our selection is key" said Skipper Kemp-Milham. "The forwards, particularly the tight 5, again provided such a stable platform for Matt and myself to release the backs.  The defensive effort again was good to see.  We have only conceded 8 points in the month, that is the key to our success I believe."

Hastings are at home again next week with Ditchling making the trip to William Parker.

H&B: Dawes, Hopkins, Northen, Sanders, P.Mahoney, Edmunds, Macmanus, A.Mahoney, Harboard, Kemp-Milham, Stimson, Smith, Magidam, Woolcott, Petty, Sheppard, Stern, Sewell