Injury hit Borough, go down fighting at Hove

In the corresponding fixture at the beginning of the season the 54 points scored, were evenly shared, although for this rescheduled return fixture a similar points spread favoured the home side, who had this match and five points secured within the first thirty minutes.
With more unavailability, and an unprecedented injury crisis the ‘Boro coaching team had a simple conundrum at the start of the week, ---where to find eighteen fit players. In what could in time turn out to be a master stroke, Michael Waghorn was drafted in from second team centre to first team Hooker, with the academy providing four new debutants to add to those whom debuted earlier in the month.
With such late changes it was not too surprising that there was a lack of cohesion and expertise, particularly in defence that saw the first Hove score within minutes of the kick off, when Michael Waghorn marked his presence in his new position with a “handling on the ground” offence and was shown a yellow card. The subsequent quick tap penalty caught ‘Boro napping and the try was simply converted 7-0.
Crowborough were playing down the slope with the strengthening wind behind them and needed to get scores on the board while they had the elements in their favour.
Unfortunately it was Hove who went further ahead taking advantage of poor ‘Boro alignment and ineffectual tackling, with a second try following some excellent support play that left the ‘Boro defence grasping at thin air. The kick was missed.12-0
Chris Yates at #15 was desperately trying to organise his back three defensive line, although it appeared that his efforts were more an exercise in herding cats, such was the continued assault by the Hove back line.

With less than twenty minutes gone a third unconverted try scored down the left flank took the score to 17-0 and with a fourth bonus point try seemingly theirs for the taking, Hove were only too pleased to oblige, again taking advantage of the absence of cover down the left tramlines to score out wide for yet another unconverted score.22-0
With thirty minutes of the half gone ‘Boro shipped yet another score 27-0 as Hove exploited the inexperience placed in front of them, and with the points against, now approaching a potential cricket score Crowborough, following a series of well supported pick and drives, drove the big Hove pack to within five metres of their own line, and in spite of some excellent defence it was Damien Hayes who picked up and crashed over to belatedly restore a semblance of pride with Chris Yates superbly converting from the touch line with five minutes of the half remaining. 27-7
Astonishingly this score seemed to galvanise the Crowborough side, and from the kick off Guy Greenwood at #10 started to assert himself delivering some excellent ball, with cut out passes and delayed offloads that released his backs for the first time. Chris Yates cruised into the 13 channel to add the extra man, and with a two man overlap and the line fast approaching, the pass deftly bisected both support players before bouncing into touch bringing the half to a close with the score line that could and should have been much closer. 27 – 7 Half time.
Whatever was said in the half time team talk should be bottled for future use, such was the way that the ‘Boro side started the second half. Showing determination and renewed character, Tom Kent led the revival taking the ball at speed and driving into the heart of the Hove defence, where the ‘Boro pack started to impose themselves with a competent display of support rugby that caused the Hove eight to tighten up their defence around the flanks leaving space out wide.
With the game all but lost Crowborough set out to regain some semblance of respectability, and threw caution to the wind as they piled on the pressure to narrow the deficit.
Inevitably, with all fifteen in attack they were always going to be vulnerable to the counter attack and so it proved with first a score out wide on the break, and then a second in what was to be a tad unfortunate, when following a long speculative kick up field, Zeb Kisbee and Cormac Kelsey won the foot race to secure possession, but the clearance kick under pressure went laterally across the face of the posts and with Sean Derrick and the Hove winger contesting the ball, it was the winger that came down to earth who seemingly appeared to be somewhat sheepish when he realised that as he came down he was already over the line but oblivious to the score. 39-7
However Crowborough were not to be dispirited and as the fourth quarter arrived they continued to move the ball across and up the field in the face of a visibly tiring Hove fifteen. Several times Boro were close to scoring but the well martialled Hove defence stood firm. With less than ten minutes to go Tom Kent who had had an excellent afternoon completed a series of inventive moves when he went over to score although Chris Yates’s attempt was pulled wide.39-12
A third well deserved try was scored late on by Cormac Kelsey, after a move the length of the pitch put pressure on the Hove defenders, and although the kick again went wide ‘Boro deservedly narrowed the gap to 39-17 and if there had been just a few moments of injury time perhaps, just perhaps, the bonus point fourth try could have been scored, but it was not to be.
Next week Crowborough entertain high flying Horsham at Steel Cross – Kick-off is back to the 15.00pm berth.