Hellhounds show their bite in Eastbourne thriller
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The second NC3 League fixture of the season saw Eastbourne RFC’s women travel to Whitemans Green for a pulsating game with the lead change hands many times over the course of the afternoon.
Eastbourne were first out of the blocks and a sweeping move took them down the right hand side to score in the corner. Heath responded quickly through their livewire backrower Wensley typical burst from the 22 saw the score levelled converted by Lizzie Bourne to make it 7-5. Heath had momentum now and Captain Nicky Carey went over for another converted try after some good driving runs from the Heath pack 14-5. Heath continued their purple patch and it was now the turn of the backs to get involved and good handling say full back Liv Hirbert go over in the corner to make it 21-5.
Eastbourne rallied with a converted try before half time to make 21-12.
Eastbourne coming down the hill in the second half wrestled control of the match back from Heath and their experience began to tell, many of the players had played for Seaford at NC1 team prior to joining Eastbourne. Their experienced scrum half directed their backline well and they started to find holes in the Heath defence as Heath made changes for the second half to give their squad of 22 game time. Two tries in quick succession took them to 21-24 before the Heath’s irrepressible back rower Wensley pulled one back for Heath converted again by fly half Lizzie Bourne to make it 28-24, this was to prove the hight point for the home side as Eastbourne started to gain the ascendancy. They ran in a further three tries through their experienced back line and despite some valiant defence the stand out of which was a try saving cover tackle by outside centre Amy Cooke they ended the match with an away win final score 28-43.
The Heath Hellhounds left with their heads held high and will take the learnings into their next game with two fixtures on consecutive Sundays, Uckfield at home and Hove 2’s for a rematch of last seasons Sussex Plate Final.