Brighton U14 (19) 19 v Hastings & Bexhill U14 (7) 19
Sunday 15th January 2023 - Friendly

And lo, a plaintive cry was heard from the sideline - “ Come on Hastings, I want to go home happy”. And it was duly thus!

A new year trip to a bright but windy Brighton, was the setting for this U14 friendly clash. Hastings & Bexhill (H&B) brought a large squad but found themselves 19-0 down midway through the first half, before rallying to a well deserved draw. Man of the Match William Roberts captained the team with aplomb and was ably assisted by scrum half, Finley Davies who made some important tackles at key moments of the game.

Playing into a cross-field wind, a familiar lack of opening intensity by H&B led to Brighton scoring the softest of tries which was converted. Many of H&B were onlookers, failing to anticipate the progression of play.

H&B were shortly thereafter, 12-0 down, a lack of bodies at a ruck in their own half allowing Brighton ball carriers to cut through a static defence for another easy score, that was also converted. Although H&B roused themselves, it was sporadic and inevitably, with the momentum in their favour, Brighton made steady progress and good field position. A shove at the scrum on the H&B 10 metre line had H&B scrabbling backwards and a couple of missed tackles led to a third Brighton try in the far corner. A good conversion left H&B with a mountain to climb. Brighton continued to play well and that pressure eventually led to a penalty, which H&B were relieved to see miss to the left. However, H&B do not lack ambition or resolve and from the restart under their posts, H&B fly half, Jonah Cowell put in an excellent tumbling kick which was bravely chased and ripped by winger Will Richardson, allowing H&B to progress across the pitch and up their left hand side.

Further careful work with the ball by Roberts and fellow centre, Rupert Shepard put H&B on Brighton’s 10 metre line. Although the ball was then lost in the ruck, good pressure and excellent anticipation by Cowell, led to an interception and a stroll in under the posts for H&B’s opening score. The coaching staff (currently bigger than the England set up) made further substitutions, giving everyone minutes. The coaches galvanised the team and the second half was much improved, with H&B camped in Brighton’s half for much of the time. The biggest difference from the first half seem to be that H&B fronted up better, made their tackles and reduced the time and space afforded to their opponents. Whilst it is credit to Brighton that they retained their discipline and composure throughout a tricky second half, H&B eventually wore them down. The half was full of set pieces and it was from a scrum deep in Brighton territory, that Davies dovetailed with influential No8 Louis Turpin (who had come on at the break), for a deserved try in the far corner. The conversion was missed. With time running out, H&B maintained their tempo and fitness, and finally drew level after Brighton had tried to run the ball out from their own half. Good pressure led to turnover ball and Roberts made a simple but effective pass to full back, Ben Coulson for their third try under the posts. Roberts made the conversion to even up the scores.