H&B keen to find home comforts

H&B were unbeaten at their ARK William Parker Academy base throughout their promotion-winning campaign last season.

They’ve lost both of their home fixtures in London Three South East this term, albeit against top four opposition, but will aim to address that against seventh-placed Folkestone tomorrow (Saturday).

Head coach Kevin Smith said: “You want to be able to win your home games and you should be able to do that. Again it’s a big ask, but we’re going to find out just how well these teams can travel.”

H&B are 10th in the 12-team division having won one and lost three in total, and Ben Campbell is expected to continue standing in at scrum-half in the absence of Matt Harbord having been man of the match in last weekend’s 55-5 loss at leaders Bromley.

“We didn’t play badly against Bromley,” Smith continued. “We missed the odd tackle, yes, but we kept playing rugby. I was quite upbeat about it and so were the players.

“Bromley’s back division has been playing together for five years and was very accomplished. Our backs have only just come together properly for the last four or five weeks.

“Their forwards were well-drilled as well. In the forwards we’re very good; we can hold our own, but our lineout suffered this week. We’ve not got bad players; we just need a bit of belief.”

Rye Rugby Club, meanwhile, will travel to third-placed Crawley in Sussex One tomorrow.