One game too many !

At last this interminable season stuttered to a conclusion at East Grinstead last Saturday, in the final of the Bob Rogers Cup against recently promoted Horsham.
This was to be ‘Boro’s 27th game of the season, a season that has taken its toll in practically every match with injury after injury decimating the initial 30 man senior squad, which meant that last weekend the side was supplemented by the recruitment of several more colts and a 3rd XV Player making their 1st team debuts.
This very young side came up against a big rampant and confident Horsham side that dominated the early exchanges with some fast direct running, sublime off loads and timely support runs, that cut through the ‘Boro defence with regular ease, and it was only a matter of time before that pressure told.
This came in the seventh minute when the Horsham flanker took the ball at pace and with a show-n-go strolled through the centre to score by the post. The score was converted for the first of what would turn out to be a litany of tries.
With Andy Walters having to leave the park early on, Sean Derrick moved into the centre, and had several useful runs, but with Horsham committing only a few to the breakdowns his attacks came up against several defenders that turned over possession. Gus O’Grady, Ali Main and Alex King all had useful periods of possession, but Horsham patiently waited and then took advantage of any spilt or loose ball to set up a counter attack, simply bulldozing their way through the fragile ‘Boro defence.
The next score came through Horsham’s own colt on the left wing, who had an electric pace. Given just an inch of space he was able to round the defence then simply out sprint the cover to score in the corner for an unconverted try. 15-0
Harry Sansbury put in several try saving tackles in the first half, two that denied the left winger, but even those efforts could not prevent two more tries before half time 27-0
At the restart ‘Boro had several opportunities to score but poor handling and passing handed over possession to Horsham, and when the fly half broke away he committed last defender Sansbury, before offloading to the left winger to score out wide. 32-0
With the game now well and truly lost coach Dan Moore gave the rest of the side a run out and although Horsham added two more scores it was not before Gus O’Grady who had had an exceptional afternoon living off scraps of possession, managed to finish off a ‘Boro attack to restore a little pride to this young side. A disappointing end to a long season with the final score being 42-5.