H&B triumph in away opener

Hastings & Bexhill Rugby Club was victorious in its opening away fixture of the season on Saturday.
Action from Hastings & Bexhill's victory away to Old Gravesendians in Kent One on SaturdayAction from Hastings & Bexhill's victory away to Old Gravesendians in Kent One on Saturday
Action from Hastings & Bexhill's victory away to Old Gravesendians in Kent One on Saturday

H&B ran out worthy 25-5 winners against an Old Gravesendians side still searching for its first victory of the Kent One campaign and picked up a bonus point for scoring four tries to boot.

On a pitch which sloped upwards towards each goal and fell away in one corner, Harry Foster opened the scoring after four minutes with a well-struck penalty given for offside.

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One of the Gravesendians forwards was yellow carded for foul play, and from the resulting penalty and five-metre lineout, Ken West - making his debut at number eight - went over for a try.

After Steve McManus was sin-binned in the 31st minute, OGs capitalised and their winger scored an unconverted try, 5-8.

From the ruck after the kick-off, however, H&B outside centre Harry Walker made a good break and put Alex Waring away for a try to give the visitors a 13-5 half time lead.

After an hour’s play, Tim Sills scored a hard-fought try which was converted by Foster, stretching H&B’s advantage to 20-5.

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H&B coach Chris Brooks used his subs well, replacing Waring and Calvin Crosby-Clarke with John Hannagarth and Dom Sewell, bringing fresh legs to the forwards. West scored his second try to seal victory.

There were solid performances from Kit Claughton, Jimmy Adams and Chris Stern, and the enthusiastic Tucker White produced a gutsy display after coming in for the unavailable Elliot Parry at scrum-half.

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