Portly Cranes showing they still got it on the pitch, with a win over Horsham Vets

Cranleigh were able thank the effort of Captain Phil Moore to turn out with an enthusiastic squad of 26 players for the game against Horsham Vets. Horsham starting the better looking like a side that had played together before ,and the put Cranleigh under pressure which was awarded with a simple walk in try after 15 minutes .The play from then was a very tight affair with the Cranleigh pack matching anything that Horsham presented and being played mainly centrally.

Cranleigh were unlucky not to score with a kick ahead and Curtis Beecroft collecting but dropped the ball over the line when tackled

But with five minutes to go James Moore brilliantly charged down a kick from the Horsham Scrum Half to score. Half time 7-7.

The Cranleigh effort was not helped by committing eight penalties to Horsham's two .

With squad changes made Cranleigh started brightly and won the first two Horsham lineouts to move the ball out to the wide areas where Nick Aston completely outpaced the Horsham defence to score under the posts .The pack started to control the tight and the same result after 10 minutes Nick Aston again scored ,both scores converted 21-7 .With scrum half Russ Shayler and the back row providing quick ball, holes were appearing in the Horsham defence which could not handle the pace of a winding run by Hugo McAllister to score. Another wide ball found James Heptonstall in the wing who flew to the line but in doing so pulled a hamstring 20 yards from the line but was able to pass to have Hugo MacAllister to score. 35-7

Horsham were tiring and getting nowhere and a good maul was eventually released and Dwayne Parkington ran through to score. The last two tries converted with drop goals from the try scorer. In the last five minutes Horsham for the first time in the game broke the Cranleigh defence which had been excellent to score -half way out with the final score 42-12.

The large crowd were well entertained with a display from Cranleigh of skill and effort and great rugby played by all. There would be some soreness in the bodies on Saturday but great satisfaction from all who played .

Report John Bailey