Chichester defeated by Horsham in rugby's Sussex derby

Chichester made 9 changes to the side that lost at home to Camberley. Joe Woods and Zac Conley returned from injury in the pack, Tom Blewitt, Sam Trodd, Eddie Jenkinson and Charlie Norton came into the backs with Richard Ives, Niall Wright and Alex Margarson on the bench.

With a gusting wind blowing across the pitch into Vulture’s Corner, Blues kicked off down the slope. An early infringement within kicking distance allowed the visitors to open the scoring. 0 -3.

The referee penalised Chichester on the halfway line allowing Horsham to kick for the corner. They won the lineout and their forwards mauled over the line to score. Converted, 0-10.

Zac Conley intercepted a Horsham pass in Blues’ half and broke through before off loading to Charlie Norton. The full-back made ground but was stopped illegally giving Chichester the chance to kick for the corner. But the referee wasn’t happy with the lineout and Horsham cleared.

An infringement on the halfway line allowed the visitors to kick for the corner and, having won the lineout, their forwards mauled across the line to score, 0-15.

From the restart the Horsham winger secured the ball and ran the ball back down the pitch to score, 0-22 and 32 minutes played.

Blues advanced into Horsham’s red zone but the defence held up the attack. Just before half time the referee produced a yellow and Horsham were down to 14 men.

It only took Horsham seven minutes to increase the score. From a lineout play, close to Blues’ 22m line, their winger popped down the blindside to score in the corner, 0-27. On the hour the visitors scored a fifth try – it was 0-32 and Chichester looked dead and buried. However, the response was immediate.

A Chi penalty was dispatched to corner for a lineout by Tom Blewitt. The pack moved the ball forward with a series of pick and goes before Quinn MacDonald spun the ball out to Blewitt. His pass found Cam Hopkins who doted down, the try converted by Charlie Norton, 7-32.

Chichester soon earned a penalty on the 22m line. Blewitt took a tap penalty and chipped the ball over a static Horsham defence for Eddie Jenkinson to burst through and score. Norton converted, 14-32.

The Blues infringed, providing the visitors with a kick at goal to make it 14-35.

A massive kick from Blewitt gave Blues a lineout in the visitors’ red zone. It was spun out to the backs, where Eddie Jenkinson chipped over the defence and ran through to dot down, converted by Norton, 21-35.

But there was no tine for two losing bonus points to be secured.

On Saturday Blues have a long trip to Kent to face Medway