H&B coach: Results will come

That’s the view of the rugby club’s head coach Kevin Smith after coming up just short against the top two teams in Kent One.

Smith said: “We’ve run the top sides very close and I’m very pleased the guys are performing well in what I consider a stronger division than Sussex One.”

Having lost by only three points away to second-placed Vigo a fortnight ago, H&B went down by 10 points despite winning the second half at home to unbeaten leaders Gillingham Anchorians last weekend.

“I don’t want to get into the habit of coming second and thinking that’s good,” continued Smith. “We had a mountain to climb after the first half and the Hastings of old would’ve hoisted the white flag I would imagine, but we ran them close and it was a good performance.”

H&B are in seventh position with three wins and three defeats from their first six matches, but after the trip to fifth-placed Sittingbourne tomorrow (Saturday), they have three successive games against teams in the bottom five.

Smith went on: “We’re not getting the results at the moment, but it’s going to come. I think the supporters are beginning to realise they’re watching a team that’s trying to play dynamic rugby and that’s got a bit of grit about them.” Scrum-half Piers Claughton is unavailable tomorrow.

See today’s Observers for the full article.