H&B off the bottom despite defeat

Tom Waring scored Hastings & Bexhill's opening try in their narrow defeat to Park House

The losing bonus point H&B gained from their 15-18 defeat against Park House on Saturday was enough to take them above Lewes and off the foot of London Three South East with one game left.

It might have been better for H&B, though, because they produced a good performance and led 15-8 at half time only for their opponents to score 10 unanswered points after the turnaround.

Park House got on the scoresheet first with a well- taken penalty into the wind, which was blowing diagonally across the pitch, 0-3.

A penalty to the home side was quickly taken and with an overlap available, returning captain Jimmy Adams made the final pass to Tom Waring, who scored out wide, 5-3.

Park House were making use of the rolling maul from lineouts and it was from one near the line that a well-taken ball in the middle of the line allowed them to roll the H&B defence back for a try, 5-8.

A penalty to H&B in front of the posts was put over by Harry Foster to make it 8-8 and the hosts then took the lead with a converted try. The ball popped out from a ruck and Alex Waring pounced on the loose ball for a try near the posts. Foster converted.

Park House had the wind at their backs in the second period and exploited it well with deep kicks into the H&B half. The rolling mauls were causing problems, but resolute defence kept Park House out.

An attempted chip over the top by H&B was pulled back by the wind. The ball fell neatly into Park House hands and they ran in for an easy try. The subsequent conversion tied the scores at 15-15.

A charged down kick was taken forward by Chris Stern, but the ball was lost when H&B were in a good position to score.

Paul Sandeman was yellow carded for a late tackle and the H&B scrum was down to seven men. Continued pressure by Park House forced a penalty, which won them the game.

With five minutes to go, however, H&B were awarded a very kickable penalty 10 metres out, which would have tied the scores. Adams decided to decline the kick and took a scrum instead, but H&B were unable to convert position into a score.

H&B: Roche, Davies, McDonough, Adams, Piotrowski, A. Waring, Stern, Sandeman, Parry, Nichols, Sills, T. Waring, Ackerley, Campbell, Foster. Replacements (all used): Morris, Foord-Paton, Clifford.