H&B aiming to “sort it out”

Smith felt the rugby club didn’t play to the atrocious conditions or stick to the gameplan during the 7-0 defeat in Kent One on Saturday.

He said: “I’ve been coaching 12 years minis, juniors, senior level at Eastbourne and now senior level at Hastings, and the last 15 minutes were the worst I can think of that I’ve ever been part of. It was dreadful. Something died out there for me; the enthusiasm possibly. You want these guys to succeed and they didn’t.

“For some reason in the second half we didn’t carry out the gameplan and I’m not sure why. Either we’re not capable - which I find hard to believe - or they (the players) decided not to implement the plan. If it was the latter, my job becomes irrelevant.

“Hopefully we can sort it out Tuesday and Thursday (at training), and be ready for Saturday (when H&B begin their defence of the Sussex Shield with a visit from Seaford). If we can’t sort it out, there will be another coach in place.”

H&B now lie fifth in the table with four wins and four losses. They are one place and one point below Dartfordians, and five back of leaders Cranbrook.

Tony Pierce says it’s the time to pull together, meanwhile, as Rye Rugby Club eyes a place in the final of the Sussex Shield.

Rye, who have lost three of their last four games, face Brighton University in the last four at New Road tomorrow (Saturday), kick-off 1.45pm.

“It’s been a bit of a tougher run but it’s time to pull together and get a result,” said Rye chairman Pierce. Joe Morrell is likely to be out for a while with the foot injury which forced him off against Burgess Hill recently.