H&B pull off upset in Vase

HASTINGS & Bexhill achieved their best result for many a year when they humbled London Four outfit Crawley 28-0 in their own backyard.

Not only did they avenge last season's 50-6 defeat in the same Powergen Junior Vase competition at Willoughby Fields but they will be the sole Sussex representatives in the fourth round of the national competition.

Although Crawley have endured a stuttering start to their league campaign having collected just two wins from seven outings, they still would have been firm favourites on home territory.

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But H&B turned in an inspired performance that combined brains with brawn to advance further than ever before in the event in which sides from London Four downwards and the equivalent standard in other parts of the country are eligible to enter.

Jubilant assistant coach Rob Hamilton said: "It was a very surprising result but it was a very pleasing result. It's the first time we've beaten a side from the league above in any sort of convincing fashion. One of the problems we have had is that it's taken us a long time to realise that the side we are playing against is not as good as we thought. But on Thursday we were sitting there thinking if we could make a good start we would be able to win the game. We were not having to play catch up rugby and it was a good all round display."

The result was achieved in such comfort that H&B were able to utilise all four substitutes including youngsters Andy Saunders and Ben Davis who gained valuable future experience.

In any cup tie involving sides from different divisions it is vital for the lower ranked team to get off to a decent start. And H&B did just that, opening up a 10-0 advantage at the break thanks to a Morgan & Lamplugh man of the match David Northen try and the subsequent conversion and a penalty from Paul Sandeman.

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The anticipated wave of home pressure at the start of the second half failed to materialise enabling the visitors to turn the screw.

Tom Brampton went over in the corner to round off a classic team move, Paul Northen added the third score and Paul Flood rounded it off with a try that followed a penalty from the boot of Sandeman.

H&B's reward is a trip to Aylesford to be played on the weekend of December 13. Before then H&B visit Rye in the Sussex League on Saturday November 22, kick-off 2.30pm.