H&B throw away 15-point lead

H&B led 15-0 with 25 minutes remaining in their Kent One match at home to Shooters Hill only to concede four late tries to go down 20-15.

A Paul Sandeman penalty put H&B into a 3-0 lead which became 8-0 at half time when Matt Harbord raced in. Anthony Roche touched down as the pack mauled over the line and Sandmen converted to make it 15-0.

But Shooters Hill pulled a try back against the run of play and were suddenly a side transformed. Two more scores brought them level and their pack drove over for the winning try in added time.

A full report will appear in Friday’s Hastings and Bexhill Observers.

Rye RFC, meanwhile, received a walkover in Sussex One as scheduled visitors Brighton II cried off on the morning of the game.

Standings (played-points) - Kent 1: 1 Gillingham Anchorians 15-65, 2 Vigo 15-61, 3 Dartfordians 16-52, 4 Shooters Hill 14-48, 5 Old Gravesendians 15-40, 6 Sittingbourne 15-40, 7 HASTINGS & BEXHILL 14-40, 8 Cranbrook 15-31, 9 HSBC 15-27, 10 Guy’s Hospital 13-17, 11 Whitstable 14-17, 12 New Ash Green 15-16, 13 Beccehamian 14-14.

Sussex 1: 1 Pulborough 12-47, 2 East Grinstead II 12-42, 3 Holbrook 12-32, 4 Burgess Hill 11-31, 5 Seaford 11-27, 6 Newick 11-24, 7 Brighton II 12-24, 8 RYE 11-23, 9 Eastbourne II 12-16, 10 Chichester III 10-10.