Facing a strong and experienced Horsham side, H&B produced a determined performance that gave their coaches plenty to be proud of, continuing to compete and play positive rugby right through to the final whistle.

The opening ten minutes demonstrated just how competitive the Blue & White could be. Strong tackling and committed defence kept Horsham at bay, while H&B looked to put their training into practice whenever opportunities arose in attack.

Horsham eventually found a breakthrough in the second period and began to make their experience count, crossing for three tries. H&B responded exactly as their coaches would have hoped. Rather than allowing heads to drop, the boys fought their way back into the contest and were rewarded with a well-deserved try before half-time.

Horsham's experience and quality became increasingly apparent after the interval as the hosts built a sizeable advantage, but Hastings & Bexhill refused to give in.
The boys continued to attack with determination and showed real bravery in defence, committing themselves to tackles and working hard for one another despite the increasing pressure.

Their persistence was rewarded with two further tries, giving H&B three for the afternoon and demonstrating their ability to create opportunities against strong opposition.
By the final quarter, tired legs were beginning to tell, but the boys dug deep. They continued to tackle, compete and support one another until the final whistle.
For a side experiencing league rugby for the very first time, there was plenty to take from the performance. The boys demonstrated skills they have been developing in training, showed courage in the tackle and, importantly, continued to play in the spirit of the game regardless of the scoreline.

Milo Kofoed, Tom Taylor and Joe Halsey-Carter crossed for H&B's three tries, while Arthur Blackwell was named Player of the Match by Horsham.
Callum Partington-Paines had the honour of captaining Hastings & Bexhill for their first league fixture.

After a hard-fought afternoon on the pitch, both teams came together for a post-match meal — a fitting end to H&B's first experience of league rugby.
A big thank you also goes to the parents, carers and chauffeurs who made the journey to Horsham and supported the team.
The result may have belonged to Horsham, but H&B returned home with valuable experience, three deserved tries and plenty to build on as their first league season gets underway.

Captain: Callum Partington-Paines
Try scorers: Milo Kofoed, Tom Taylor, Joe Halsey-Carter
Player of the Match: Arthur Blackwell (selected by Horsham)

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