Hastings & Bexhill under 13s win their first ever league game!

East Grinstead B 5 Hastings & Bexhill 17

H&B U13 travelled to East Grinstead for their first ever Sussex league fixture expecting a tough game against a strong EG side that they had failed to get the better of in previous meetings. 

EG kicked off with the advantage of the slope and wind and soon had H&B defending on their 22m line.

Following a line-out and maul the enterprising EG fly-half released the ball down the left hand wing and for the winger to run to the line, despite some valiant tackling the arrival of the large EG forwards added impetus to force the ball over the line and the try was awarded. EG failed to convert from wide out.

The away support feared the worst following this early score by the home team but this was unfounded as the H&B side displayed new found belief borne from hard work put in on the training field. Ably lead by skipper Tommy Gooch, the forwards began to display superior scrimmaging technique to gain the upper hand in the scrums, forcing EG to turn over the ball, and working from quick ruck ball, a determined run from flanker George Upton allowed him to break the EG defensive line and score under the posts from 20m. Mitch Dennis added the conversion.

Further good work by the forwards and strong running by centres Leon Driver and Ross McLean pushed EG back into their half. Working the ball out to the right through a series rucks and drives by Matt Coyle and Andy Paige again allowed Upton to break the defence and surge over for a try in the corner. This allowed H&B to turn round 12-5 to the good at half-time.

After the restart EG were penned in their own half, with the tactic of using big strong runners to break the H&B defensive line failing to bring the rewards of previous encounters.

Mid way through the half, working off another scrum the ball was thrown out to Joe Whitehill-James who forced his way down the right wing only to have the ball held up over the line.

From the resulting scrum, Gooch picked up from the back, jinked past two EG defenders to dive over the line.

With the game now in their control, H&B were now searching for the fourth try to gain a vital bonus point, a quick pick and drive by Tom Grain from broken play in the EG 22 was stopped just short of the line.  Despite continued pressure by H&B, stout defence by EG prevented any further score. Final score 17-5.

Credit must be given to both sides for the competitive spirit in which the game was played. This was a fine display by the H&B side fully vindicating the coaches’ belief in the player’s ability too often shown in training but not on the pitch.

Next game Sunday 13th November at home versus Helstorm (KO 11am)

Squad: Marchant-Hall, Smart, Brereton (Ames), Southgate (Stockdale), Paige (Squire), Upton, Coyle, Gooch, Nicholls (Grain), Dennis, Driver, McLean, Whitehill-James, Barker (Monro), Farrant