H&B suffer yet more play-off agony

The Sussex Division One runners-up were denied promotion to London South East Division Four in a winner-takes-all play-off against their Kent equivalents for the fifth time in six seasons.

This time it was by the closest possible margin and they were whiskers away from victory - and with it a place in the London Leagues for the first time since 1992 - on the final play of the game.

"Everyone was gutted," said captain Kit Claughton. "We pretty much played as we wanted to and it was a game we deserved to win. Having talked to spectators and neutrals, they felt we were the team playing the rugby."

H&B certainly did play more of the rugby and it seemed like bringing them victory when great work from Claughton had Danny Ralph speeding towards the corner as the watch reached nine minutes of added time.

But the wing, playing his last game for the club before emigrating to New Zealand, was denied a match-winning score by a brilliant last gasp tackle from John Foster and Nathan Last.

Ralph actually touched the ball down over the line, but the touchjudge ruled him to have crossed the sideline first and the subsequent whistle signalled the end of the game.

"It would have been a dream send-off for Danny," Claughton added, "but it was a fantastic cover tackle."

H&B, playing at home because of their superior league record, piled on the pressure during stoppage time and came close to scoring on several occasions only to be denied by some staunch defending.

The home team started the game in much the same attacking manner, taking a 6-3 lead inside the opening 14 minutes by virtue of two Jimmy Adams penalties either side of one from Lloyd Stokes for the visitors.

That advantage was extended to 11-3 via their only try of the contest in the 22nd minute. A delightful 70 metre move went through several phases and pairs of hands before David Northen touched down out wide.

But H&B's eye-catching flair in the back division was blunted during the closing stages of the half as Ashford began to get on top in the set-piece.

The hosts' line-out was misfiring and Ashford used their superiority in the scrum to home in on the try-line.

They reduced their deficit to 11-10 after 33 minutes when, after three collapsed scrums close to the line, the fourth looked to be going over until Paul Sandeman was penalised for offside and sent to the sin-bin. A penalty try was awarded and Stokes duly added the conversion.

"We kept on being penalised for popping up (in the scrum)," Claughton added, "but talking to our guys, they were actually pushing us up."

The introduction of Steve Lovick at half time beefed up the H&B scrum and they were very much on top for the opening 20 minutes of the second period.

Only terrific scrambling defence kept H&B out following more delightful handling among the backs. Adams missed two kickable penalties before extending the lead to 14-10 with his third shot at goal of the half in the 59th minute.

But Ashford hit back swiftly and took full advantage of Steve McManus being sent to the sin-bin for killing the ball from the side by driving a scrum close to the line, allowing number eight Charlie Vavasour to go over from close range to put them 15-14 up in the 70th minute.

The home team regained the advantage six minutes later, Sandeman dropping a goal despite a deflection off an Ashford hand.

They fell behind once more, however, during the final minute of the regulation 80 when visiting fly-half Stokes kicked a penalty and this time it was for good.

"I guess the positives are that we played our game," Claughton concluded, "and it was our best performance in a play-off. We did play some very good rugby and I do honestly think we've got more to offer in London Four than Ashford."