H&B maintain good start to season

HASTINGS & Bexhill continued their good start to the rugby season with a 27-21 win over Horsham in the opening round of the Powergen Junior Vase.

The William Parker outfit, with yet another different lineup from previous games thanks to injury and unavailability, built on the confidence shown in the previous week's league win over Crowborough. They produced a performance of passion and assurance, against a Horsham outfit that contributed to an exciting spectacle by throwing everything into their attacks, that bodes well for the season.

It was, above all, a team effort, but no-one typified the new-found energy of coach Roger Stanley's side more than man-of-the-match Steve McManus. Moved from the flank this season to his preferred position of No 8, McManus gave a towering performance, ploughing through Horsham's pack, timing his passes, making big tackles and topping it all off with a brace of tries.

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Under Martin Shepherd's leadership, the whole pack upped a gear. They rucked well, protected the ball, and provided a solid platform for the backs to launch attack after attack. Props Tristan Todd and Steve Lovick, returning after a long break away from the 1sts to substitute for Illian Glanville in the second half, provided increased mobility and dynamism at the breakdown, and the back row harried effectively. Piers Claughton disrupted his rival scrum half's game, and used good ball from the forwards to provide his creative backline with attacking options.

H&B took the lead early on, after aggressive defence from the kick off pinned the visitors in their 22, and McManus scored the first of his tries with a pick up from the back of a maul, beating the defence for an unconverted touchdown.

Horsham hit back swiftly, and showed how dangerous they were, when their wing - the fastest man on the field - cut a clever angle and split the defence for a converted try.

Dave Milham, playing on the other wing, regained the lead for H&B a few minutes later, when a quick ruck ball and swift hands put him over in the corner.

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Play see-sawed as both teams attacked - and defended - with conviction, and three penalty kicks were missed, two by Horsham, one by H&B, before David Northen crashed over following a couple of good rucks and a neat switch of direction by the backline, again unconverted. But Horsham had the last word in the half, with a second converted try, this time from the fullback bursting into the line and dummying his way over to make the half time score 15-14.

The second half, while every bit as exciting and end-to-end as the first, saw H&B take a tighter grip on the game. Playing with greater control, off-loading well, and attacking with subtlety and flair, they launched several attacks from their own touchline. They also won more turnovers than for some time.

Ben Campbell, who defended well against his dangerous opposite number on the left wing, came close to scoring after the break. From a consequent ruck and sustained pressure, Ben Davies crossed the line for H&B's fourth unconverted try. McManus scored his second try with another good pick up from the back of the scrum, and a saucy dummy to beat the defender. Northen kicked the conversion.

A moment's slackness in the final moments allowed Horsham to score a consolation final try, after a turnover and counter-attack from halfway, but H&B's supporters left the ground talking about the best start to a season anyone could recall.

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"We all agreed this was a game we had to win because of last season's poor performance against them," said captain Kit Claughton. "To turn them over in a cup game that mattered felt good; to play well in doing it was an important bonus."

Team coach Roger Stanley was full of praise for the team. "It was a very good performance - better than last week's," he said.

"We moved the ball very well, and protected it well too. The pack had a good game, the front row was solid and mobile. McManus had an excellent game. I'm very pleased."

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