H&B cup hopes get stuck in mud

H&B went down 43-15 in a Sussex Bob Rogers Cup first round tie played in appalling wet and muddy conditions having lost 38-10 to the same opponents in London Three South East during September.

“Both sides tried to play rugby and in spells we played alright, but they had the benefit of being better than us and sometimes you’ve got to admit that,” conceded H&B head coach Kevin Smith.

“I suppose we were in their third four or five times and we came away with points on three occasions. We conceded a couple of soft tries, but I don’t think anybody’s disheartened by it.”

Heathfield are five places above H&B in the league and it was they who grabbed the opening try. The visitors went on to lead 19-10 at half time, although H&B did have their moments, the best of which ended in a try following a catch and drive at a lineout.

H&B’s hopes were effectively ended, however, after Heathfield scored two tries early in the second half. H&B did go on to score their second try of the afternoon, but a first home victory of the season remains elusive.

“To be fair we’re really fighting hard, but we tend to give a try away and two minutes after that another try goes in - and that kills us,” added Smith.

“Teams are scoring well-worked tries against us because they go training and the times it doesn’t come off you think ‘that’s a let-off’.”