Wise praises Pulborough’s first away as massive milestone

Pulborough made it back-to-back wins by recording their first away victory in London 3 South East on Saturday.
Sport - Rugby. London South East 3. Horsham v Pulbrough. Action from the match. Picture : Liz Pearce. LP200914RH08 SUS-140920-203510008Sport - Rugby. London South East 3. Horsham v Pulbrough. Action from the match. Picture : Liz Pearce. LP200914RH08 SUS-140920-203510008
Sport - Rugby. London South East 3. Horsham v Pulbrough. Action from the match. Picture : Liz Pearce. LP200914RH08 SUS-140920-203510008

Accumulating a healthy sum of points is always a priority for any side ahead of the Christmas period, and Boro’s comprehensive 34-11 triumph away at Hastings & Bexhill could prove a vital one.

The outcome meant more than purely a win for Pulborough as they now sit 17 points superior to the relegation zone, level with Heathfield and Uckfield.

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The result has given the league newboys a much-needed boost ahead of their final two games against second-place Dartfordians on Saturday and leaders Horsham the following weekend, ahead of their Christmas break.

Expectations have somewhat been surpassed at this current stage in Boro’s season.

This granted, skipper Seth Wise, who said not too long ago that the end to the year would define their season, stresses there is nothing cavalier about the team.

He said: “It was a huge win for us and a milestone as it’s the first time we have won away in this league.”

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“We are under no illusions that there are many tough games to come, our focus is on ourselves. Theoretically, we could go into our next two games and get nothing against top sides.

“That said, we are in good spirits, strong at home and certainly good enough to be in the league.

“If you’d said at the beginning of the season that we would be eighth in the table at the halfway point, I would have been delighted.”

A total of 14 points from their last four games goes some way to solidifying Pulborough’s place in midtable and they eased to victory on Saturday.

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Adverse conditions meant ‘Boro couldn’t find their rhythm and much to their frustration were closed down hastily on several occasions throughout the first half.

However, tries from Harry Perry and Simon Burfiend coincided with a clinical duo of conversions from Frazer Oilphant-Hope along with a penalty from Tom Hoey to mark the travellers’ 17-8 lead at the break

Wise added: “The pitch was not great; very stodgy. It was a tight game in the first half, so we had a good chat at half time and it showed in the second half as we dictated the play.”

Some well rehearsed set-pieces from the Boro forwards after the restart saw Hoey inflict his side’s third try on the hosts, while also dispatching a precise conversion during the second half.

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Further asserting their authority, another two tries from Fenn Caddick and Henry Dalgleish meant Pulborough put the result beyond doubt, despite Hastings’ attempt at salvaging the match with another sequential try and conversion.