Horsham consolidate eighth after third consecutive win

Horsham completed the double over HAC with an impressive 55-24 victory which consolidated their hold on eighth place in London 1 South.
Horsham man of the match Vince Everitt in full flight against HAC. Picture by Rick HarmanHorsham man of the match Vince Everitt in full flight against HAC. Picture by Rick Harman
Horsham man of the match Vince Everitt in full flight against HAC. Picture by Rick Harman

This was a third successive win for the Green and Whites who look increasingly comfortable in this league.

Horsham made a good start with several phases of possession which saw a penalty awarded and converted by Joe Blake.

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Great linking between Aaron Linfield and Blake then saw tremendous strength from Vince Everitt to hold off several tacklers to run in and score from 40 metres out.

Following this some excellent multi-player, multiple phase play saw Everitt finish well for his second try with a fine line off a ruck which was well converted by Blake, and after ten minutes Horsham led 15-0.

Lack of concentration saw a try conceded from a scrum which was turned over ball but Horsham soon bounced back following some great ball retention across the pitch which was eventually finished by Jonny Goward and well converted by Blake for the Green and Whites to lead 22-5.

The sides were alternating their try scoring, and this continued when missed tackles in the centres saw HAC score a try out wide and Horsham responded on the stroke of half-time with a try scored from a good attack structure with Johnny Ordidge prominent with his carries.

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His offload inside to Marcus Condon saw him finish well for the four try bonus point which was well converted by Blake and Horsham went into the break leading 29-10.

The Green and Whites started the second half strongly. Great multi-phase possession saw the ball retained very well and eventually found Declan Nwachukwu to finish, then Blake stepped his man and broke through the middle to score and convert his own try to put the game at 41-10 after 45 minutes.

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During this period the Green and Whites went off the boil as they were disrupted by an injury to Blake and yellow cards to Condon and Will Grief, forcing them to play for 20 minutes with fourteen men and a makeshift backline.

Once they were back to their full compliment they finished the half as strongly as they started it with man of the match Everitt completing his hat-trick following a Nwachukwu break converted by Harrison Sims, and then Sims completed the scoring to convert his own try after a dominant scrum.

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Horsham head coach Nick Stocker said: “A pleasing return to league action following the Christmas break. We started at an incredible pace and made very few mistakes that belied any rustiness which combined with the ball retention meant we pressured HAC from the start.

“Some of the multi-player and phase tries were excellent to watch and it was pleasing to see the players deliver on their hard work in training.

“We had a wobble for 20 minutes after half-time which is attributable to fitness and a raft of enforced changes due to some knocks but having weathered that storm, finished strongly to record a pleasing bonus point and our first result over 50 points this season.

“Next week we have a tough away match to Cobham who are one of the form teams in the league and we need to be at our best to get a result. On this performance, it promises to be an exciting game.”

Horsham: J Bell (Sims); Nwachukwu, Condon, Ordidge, Squire; Blake (Grief), Linfield; N Bell, Preston, Cass (Barber); Osgood, Goward; Redmayne, J Smith, Everitt