Crowborough 55 – Hastings & Bexhill 0

Travelling to Crowborough for the second league match of the campaign, H&B knew they were in for a tough examination. Having played them in a friendly last month and suffering a heavy defeat, Crowborough were clear favourites, having as they do many physically imposing players. Their tight five are very big boys. H&B’s disadvantage was compounded by the absence of both first choice props, two of the few players who can impose themselves physically on a game.
 
The pattern for the game unfolded rapidly and emphatically with the Crowborough forwards dominating the breakdown and sucking in H&B’s reluctant tacklers; each ball carrier crossing the gain line and requiring two, three or four players to arrest them. The ball then spread wide to a back line with open vistas to exploit. Crowborough soon opened the scoring and continued to score almost at will, running in a further three tries in the space of five minutes. This would clearly be a damage limitation exercise at best, though, with two more scores before half time, even that seemed beyond hope.
 
In possession H&B still had the composure to run their moves and enjoyed some spells of open play but Crowborough’s competent tackling and greater urgency at the ruck limited these opportunities. Stand in props Jozef Csobonas and Frazer McManus were heroic in the scrums and hooker Laurence Maynard struck well to win most of H&B’s put ins.
 
The second half, by contrast, was characterised by great resilience from H&B. Will Edwards in his first season of club rugby, was having an excellent game at scrum half, not only distributing the ball well but putting in tackle after tackle. Max McKeown was relieving the pressure with clearing kicks from fly half and, later, at full back, as well as chasing down break away runs. Adam Baker was working hard in mid field and flanker Jack Mather was putting Crowborough under as much pressure as was possible.
 
It was a great effort across the team to keep Crowborough out right up until the last eight minutes of the half. Fatigue, inevitably, took its toll and H&B conceded three rapid scores before the final whistle but the team had demonstrated their strength of character to compete throughout.
 
While Crowborough march on towards a return to the A league next season, H&B need to reflect on the quality and confidence of their tackling because, despite their continued tactical improvement, they will fail to succeed without this basic skill.

Adam Baker evades his marker

Robbie Meikle chases a loose ball

Aam Clarke and Laurence Maynard wrap up the fly half