H&B '˜need to win' key derby clash

Hastings & Bexhill Rugby Club is preparing for a match which head coach Chris Brooks says it needs to win in its quest to avoid relegation.
Action from the reverse fixture between Hastings & Bexhill and Lewes before Christmas. Picture courtesy Danny SimpsonAction from the reverse fixture between Hastings & Bexhill and Lewes before Christmas. Picture courtesy Danny Simpson
Action from the reverse fixture between Hastings & Bexhill and Lewes before Christmas. Picture courtesy Danny Simpson

H&B will host Lewes in its final home game of the season tomorrow (Saturday) seeking a victory which would go a long way towards preserving the club’s London Three South East status.

Brooks said: “It’s one that we need to win. The players know how precarious the situation is and I’m expecting a strong squad. I’m expecting us to be at the top of our game on Saturday and if we are I think we have the beating of them.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With three games to go, H&B are ninth in the 12-team division - one place and two points above a Folkestone side which occupies the final relegation spot.

They will be targeting a ninth victory of the campaign against Lewes, who are three places and six points above H&B, and beat them 31-24 in December’s reverse fixture.

“Lewes have had some good results, but I think in terms of our style of play and on our home park with a good selection, it’s our best chance of getting a victory (in the remaining games),” added Brooks.

“We didn’t play very well against them (previously) and only lost by a handful of points. It was very much a missed opportunity.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It was fairly evenly-matched in all departments before. They had no discernible advantage up-front and they weren’t pacier than us around the fringes.”

Jimmy Adams is expected to be fit, Eliot Parry should be back at scrum-half and Harry Walker is also likely to be available for a match which will kick-off at 3pm at Ark William Parker Academy.

Folkestone will travel to seventh-placed Crowborough tomorrow and Park House - who are four points and one place above H&B having played an extra game - are away to leaders Aylesford Bulls.

Standings (played 19 matches unless stated): 1 Aylesford Bulls 82pts. 2 Thanet Wanderers 79, 3 Old Dunstonians 59, 4 Bromley 58, 5 Old Williamsonians (20) 56, 6 Lewes (20) 50, 7 Crowborough 49, 8 Park House (20) 48, 9 HASTINGS & BEXHILL 44, 10 Folkestone 42, 11 Sheppey 8, 12 Crawley (20) -3.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Benefit from an ongoing discount on your Observer by joining our voucher membership scheme. Once you’ve subscribed, we’ll send you dated vouchers which can be exchanged for your paper at any news outlet. To save money on your Observer, simply click here (www.localsubsplus.co.uk)

Related topics: