Hastings & Bexhill II 76 Hove V 0

The league leaders travelled to the bottom team this week knowing that they had a job to do to remain top of the Sussex 2 league.

The continuity of selection has continued although injuries to in-form second rowers Pete Mahoney and Andy Sanders meant that a new combination of the old head of Holewell and the young colt Mann started together, this allowed Sewell a chance to show his worth in the back row.

Hove had the privilege of having four games being played at home at the same time which meant that their fifth XV did not have the benefit of a choice pitch. However the wide, sloping pitch the H&B seconds took to looked to give the them the chance to ship the ball out to the quick boys and improve their points difference.

Hove won the toss and chose to go up the hill in the first half, something that Hastings would also have done this if they had won the flip. Hastings objectives for the game were to secure the maximum points difference and incur no injuries. 

"It was important to go into the game with the right state of mind" said captain Kemp-Milham "every game is a must win now, we can't afford to slip up.  The chance to boost the points difference was also important".

Hove started the game well. Hastings struggled to get the long road trip out of their legs and played into Hove's hands by keeping the ball close to the Hove forwards who were able to slow the ball right down and use the boot to push the visitors backwards.

It took Hastings 10 minutes to cross the Hove try line in the form of Ben Hanny with Ben Lee converting.  Unfortunately this did not seem to kick start the Hastings team into action and the game continued in a very scrappy fashion.

Before half time Ben Campbell and Dave Kemp-Milham crossed the tryline and Ben Lee added another conversion to give the league leaders and 23-0 lead at the break.

During the break the H&B Team Manager left no-one in any doubt of the poor performance in the first half, but also pointed out that Hove were very good at being poor and just to push on in the second half.

Hastings started the second half with the hill against them with more vigour.  In a quick fire 30 minute spell Hastings went over the line another 8 times with Lee kicking a further 5 conversions. 

Hove called for "last try wins" and at this point Jason Holewell's ears pricked up and he flew down the flank and scored the final try of the game. 

With the maximum 40+ points difference and Hove clearly running out of steam the referee decided to call time early.

Hastings walked off the park no more than happy, but with the job in hand completed for another week. The man of the match with a brace of tries was Ben Hanny, although Mann, stepping up from the Colts and Sewell both played well. Other scorers included Kemp-Milham (3), Campbell (2), Harbord (2), Sewell and Holewell.

"We simply did what we had to do this week, and have good and bad points to take into training this week" added Kemp-Milham.

The seconds will continue their charge for the league title with a home game against Lewes next weekend - 20th February.

Team: Dawes, Hopkins, O'Connor, Mann, Holewell, Sewell, Edmunds, Cullingford, Harbord, Kemp-Milham, Campbell, Smith, Woolcott, Hanny, Lee, A.Mahoney, Knight, Roache.