Opening league game v East Grinstead

Hastings and Bexhill turned up to East Grinstead with just 16 men after receiving heavy injuries in the festival the week before.
EG showed immediately how fast and dangerous their backs were and they quickly and put two trys past H&B. Despite the EGs kickers best effort the angle was too great so EG went 10-0 up after 10 minutes.
Rather than think it was all over, H&B returned to basic rugby making ground steadily. This consistent core skills rugby forced an error by EG and H&B had a scrum near the goal line. The scrum was too strong for EG to repel and H&B number 8, Wes Lorman, saw a chance so grabbed the ball and ran towards the line, breaking through the defence without slowing and diving over the line.
10 - 5 with only 15 minutes in to the game.
H&B used this opportunity to increase the pressure and with Centre Seb Cameron-Clarke seeing that there was space on the wings, kicked the ball high and towards the sideline where by winger Jack Merrell anticipated the move and caught the ball on the run and he opened the gap between him and the defence as he speed up and scored a try.
Fly half, Conner Farley stepped up and calmly slotted the conversion kick straight through the bars.
10-12.
The crowds witnessed a monstrously defensive battle between both teams but EG managed to use their fast backs again to find space on the wing and the EG winger did an amazing run to score one back for the home side.
Tbe EG kicking team couldnt zero in so the score was now 15-12.
Doing what they do best, the boys in blue and white stormed back and using the power of their scrum again to intimidate the defenders, and make ground, Wes Lorman the H&B number 8 again saw a weakness and zoned in. Seeing the threat, EG threw everything they could to stop the number 8, who absorbed the hits and neatly offloaded it to his supporting flanker, Jonny Prince who completed the run and dived safely over the goal line.
Conner Farley, showed the watching EG team how to kick a conversion as he easily secured another 2 points for the visitors.
Half time 15 - 19.
The 2nd half began with more brutal forward play with the pick and go from both teams being effective, but each team being defensively sound. After 10 minutes of clashing titans, H&B reclaimed the ball from a turned over ruck and they passed the ball out to the winger, where Jack Merrell recieved the ball and broke out to full speed, easily out pacing his defender to score his 2nd try if the match straight in the corner. Again Conner Farley caused disbelief as he planted another conversion home.
15 - 26.
Deciding to increase the pressure, H&B rushed forward once more, with the EG pushing extra players to support the wingers fearing another attack from the sides, Seb Cameron-Clarke saw that EG had no full back in position so he chipped the ball whilst on the run, over the EG team who tried to reach the ball first as it crossed the goal line but the number 12 kept up with his kick and he dived at full stretch and got a hand to the ball as it hit the ground.
With Conner still hitting true the gap increased to 15 - 33.
This is were the numbers starting having an affect with EG bringing on fresh legged subs and H&B starting to feel the impact of such a hard hitting game.
The game turned and EG could see that H&B were almost running on empty. With energetic substitutes and a renewed vigour, EG completed run after run and score 3 trys in the last 10 minutes but with the EG kicker only managing to convert one of these, it put the score to 32-33 to the visitors.
Now playing into the 45th minute of what should have been a 30 minute half, the referee called last play. The EG had the goal line in their sights and they broke for another and final try, breaking through the H&B defence and diving for the line to win the game.
But the EG team had not seen the H&B winger Rufus Saull-Hunt, who refused to accept defeat. Rufus tackled the attacker face on as the last man and used all his strength to hold the attacker up and position himself under the ball as momentum carried them both over the line. The EG attacker tried ripping the ball free and even though he was clearly stronger, he had never faced the determination and will of the H&B team, as Rufus tried all he could to hold on to the ball.
Both teams ran towards the action and the melee was concealed by the other players.
The referee blew the whistle . The players and crowds held their breath.
The referee then gave the sign that the ball had been held up and he blew the final whistle. Both teams dropped to their knees in exhaustion.
Full time 32-33 to H&B
A monstrous and impressive effort by all those involved.