Hastings & Bexhill 4 Hove Pirates 3

Once more, a strong showing in squad numbers, with some determined play from a lot of the newer players. On the plus side, this means that we're building good resilience in the team, and there's greater competition for places. On the down side, it means that some players will not be able to play full matches. Plenty of time for the lads to cement their favourite spot, but we'll need them to work on individual position skills if they want to be the first name on the team sheet. I'd also encourage the lads to research and practise skills at other positions: more on that in another e-mail.

The weather, it has to be said, did not bode well on the early morning journey across the coast to Hove, as a strong H&B U12 squad looked to take on the Hove Pirates in their own backyard. With the Hove 'A' team training separately, H&B enjoyed a useful joint training session with the Pirates before playing an ice-hockey style match of three 10 minute sessions, under much-improved sunny blue skies. This match arrangement allowed game time for all of the H&B squad, and gave Hove the chance to throw in a few of their 'A' team players.

Hove Pirates showed great skill and match-discipline in the early stages to hold off a determined H&B back line; competing very well at scrums and line-outs, and giving the H&B forwards a lesson or two in rucking and securing ball. However, H&Bs ability to rip the ball in a maul situation - exemplified by Buckingham, Russell and Howard-Smith - gave H&B some advantage. With dangerously fast wings threatening the Hove defence, it was scrum-half Tom Hirst, skinning the opposition and tearing aloing the side line to score an excellent try that gave H&B the lead. A few minutes later, despite struggling with a well-drilled forward pack, H&B were able to use the punching drives of Leon Carey and new player James McGrath to take the ball up the field. Some great handling from fly-half Ronnie Doorey-Palmer created space on the left wing, releasing winger Stuart Chisholm for a well executed finish in the corner. Hove Pirates drew a score back, but H&B went into the second period with confidence. From a spilled ball after the resulting kick-off, Hove were able to set one of their fast wings toward the corner. Despite a chase from full-back Ashley Hills, Hove pulled another score back. H&B took the game on, and soon Hove were once again defending deep into their own half. From a loose ball on the floor, the Hove defence were unable to stop bullocking Leon Carey - playing out of position in the 2nd row - from driving through, picking up and crashing over to score. Not long after this, No 8 Tommy Russell; handling a difficult scrummage well, recovered the ball and zig-zagged toward the Hove line. Despite being held up on the first attempt, he recyled, came back to support and got his rewards by dragging over two defenders to score. As the period came to an end, Hove made the best use of a 5 metre penalty to set one of their big forwards crashing over. The final period was scoreless, but H&B looked the more dangerous side; particularly when finding the space to release the much faster game-breakers in the back line. Match ended in a 4 - 3 win for H&B

Good work from a number of players in the day's rugby. But in order to progress from beating strong 'B' teams like Hove Pirates, H&B need to work on faster support from the forwards; better possession when going into contact (i.e. going to ground and rucking over), and keeping the back-line in shape. Player of the week went to No 8 Tommy Russell for his dogged work around the field, control of the scrum, and try-scoring effort.

Team was:
1. Chandler Buckingham
2. Lee Hopkins
3. Max Holmes
4. Owain Lusted
5. Leon Carey
8. Tommy Russell
9. Tom Hirst
10. Ronnie Doorey-Palmer
11. James McGrath
12. George Howard-Smith
13. Jack Reed
14. Stuart Chisholm
15. CJ Johnson
16. Ashley Hills (Wing / Full-back)
17. George Marvin (Centre)
18. Josh Rumble (Wing)
19. Ben Gateley (Wing)

Match Pictures