H&B shut out opponents

The slope and gale gave potential territorial advantage, and H&B built a 17-0 lead by half time in the Kent One fixture.

Paul Sandeman, Piers Claughton and Jimmy Adams combined for Dom Sewell to score the opening try in the corner. Tom Waring’s strength in contact triggered a move in which Kit Claughton’s timed pass to Ash Diedericks saw the latter in for a try, converted by Sandeman.

Quick, accurate passing down the line saw Bruce Steadman beat his man on the outside for a third score. In the second half H&B maintained game-plan, discipline and powerful defence to keep their hosts off the scoreboard.

At a key point of the game they worked the ball from one end of the field to the other, Sandeman battering it over Whitstable’s bravely-defended tryline for the fourth try bonus point.

Elsewhere, Rye RFC made it a remarkable six wins out of six in Sussex One with a 30-24 success away to still winless Hove III.

Joe Morrell and Jamie Moore scored two tries apiece for a Rye side which led 20-0 before trailing 24-20, and John Smith went over for the other score. Moore added a conversion and a drop goal.

Reports on both matches will appear in Friday’s Observers.

Standings (played-points) - Kent One: 1 King’s College Hospital 6-22, 2 Dartfordians 6-18, 3 Cranbrook 5-18, 4 HASTINGS & BEXHILL 5-16, 5 Sittingbourne 5-14, 6 Shooters Hill 5-14, 7 Beccehamian 6-13, 8 Old Gravesendians 5-11, 9 HSBC 5-10, 10 Southwark Lancers 6-5, 11 Whitstable 6-5.

Sussex One: 1 Eastbourne 6-28, 2 Burgess Hill 6-27, 3 RYE 6-26, 4 Chichester III 6-20, 5 Seaford 6-19, 6 Holbrook 6-13, 7 Brighton II 6-12, 8 Lewes II 6-8, 9 Newick 6-6, 10 Hove III 5-3, 11 Haywards Heath II 4-1, 12 Midhurst 5-(-1).