1st XV comeback falls just short

Hastings and Bexhill RFC 19 - 22 Thanet Wanderers RFC
25th November 2017 2:30pm

In sport we say "there is no such thing as a bad win"; well this was a good loss! Once again H&B showed that they can match the best in this London League rugby. Fielding a side with three changes of personnel and four positional alterations; Hastings came from nineteen points behind, to lose by three; therefore achieving a losing by less than seven bonus point.

Thanet started the day second in the league, their pack was probably a stone a man heavier and the whole team were very well drilled. In the first half they took the lead with three well constructed tries , two of which were converted. Their handling was slick and they put the Hastings defence under continuous pressure.

In the interval coach Chris Brooks swapped teenage hopeful Leon Driver for the more experienced Calvin Crosby - Clarke; this move meant a major reorganisation of the backs. Tom Waring went to full back, Tim Sills took up his usual position on the wing, Chas Ackerely moved to outside centre and Crosby - Clarke played at inside centre with great effect.

The emergency half back combination of Stash Maltby; promoted because of the late withdrawal of Elliot Parry with a shoulder injury, and Dan Suggitt got into their stride. Maltby played with confidence and has a terrific pass to get the backs moving.
Sills opened the scoring with a hard worked try. Crosby - Clarke made an excellent tackle in the midfield, he won the ball and set up the back line to pass the ball out to the speedy winger. That was all the opportunity he needed to reduce the deficit. Waring converted with a well struck kick.

Tony Roche replaced prop Tom Vincent, who had sustained an injury to his left arm.

Thanet were reduced to fourteen men after their prop was yellow carded and Hastings immediately pressed home their advantage. Crosby - Clarke received the ball from the scrum and crashed through the defence to score under the posts. Unfortunately Waring misdirected the conversion and hit the post!

TWs hit back with a very well struck penalty awarded for offside to make the score 12-22. From the restart Waring fielded the ball and redeemed himself for his earlier error with a huge downfield kick, Sills chased it down and left the visitors defence in his wake to cross the line for his second try of the day. Waring converted with an excellent kick to make the final score H&B 19 Thanet Wanderers 22.

Captain Joe Umpleby and coach Brooks praised their squad for the way in which they all stepped up to make a very good team work so hard for their narrow victory. Next week H&B are without a game, but return to league action away to Lewes on December 9th, hopefully, with a full strength squad to choose from.

Match report by Peter Knight