Horsham's difficult start to the season continues

REGIONAL 1 SOUTH CENTRAL

Saturday, September 21

Horsham 27-41 Tunbridge Wells

Report by Richard Ordidge

Horsham’s difficult start to the season continued with a frustrating 27-41 loss at home to Tunbridge Wells.

The Kent side have tended to be dominant when the two clubs have met in recent years but this was a much improved performance from the Green and Whites.

A surprise result looked a possibility as Horsham clawed their way into a 20-17 lead with tries from Henry Warwick and George Howard late in the first half having conceded two early scores, but Tunbridge Wells pulled away after the break with the exception of a breakaway try from in his own half by Max Greatwood.

Horsham’s head coach Nick Stocker reflected after the game: “Although a disappointing result, it was a much-improved performance against a team who finished 4th last season and despite a slow start will be up at the top end of the table again this year. Indeed, having fought back into the lead just before halftime, and looking much more energised in the second half, the win was most certainly within our grasp.

"Our backs threatened when we had the ball reflecting better cohesion between forwards and backs, and in the scrum we had a platform to launch attacks from. Unfortunately, our error count was too great today which allowed TW to either clear lines or transfer pressure and eliminating these will be a focus over coming weeks.

"Ultimately, early concession of 17 points and errors when pushing for the win late on put a sheen on the scoreline that didn’t reflect the game as a close hard-fought contest between two committed teams”.

Horsham go again next week with another tough fixture away to Hammersmith & Fulham.