Despite five changes to the line up from the previous week’s victorious side, Crowborough were still brimming with confidence for this encounter with sixth placed Horsham.
This was a game that Crowborough could, and should have won. Although the pack was generally firing on all eight cylinders, the back division was less threatening, appearing to lack the necessary penetration, preferring instead to try and run through the opposition, rather than engineering and exploiting gaps with tight running lines, off-loads and decoy runners.
Although ‘Boro had an opportunity to open the score inside of five minutes with a penalty that drifted wide, it was well into the second quarter, and against the run of play, before Horsham opened the score, when ‘Boro found themselves camped on their own line and working the ball dangerously to the back of the ruck. In order to prevent Horsham from diving over if the ball crossed the line, a rushed and scrambled pass was then miss kicked skywards, and when it returned from orbit the Horsham #5 latched onto the ball falling over the line to record a fortuitous try. The conversion was sent wide of the up right. 5-0 . As half time drew to a close Horsham were awarded a penalty near the half way line, this was for a slightly high tackle. The #10 stepped up and pushed to ball into the 22 ready for a lineout. From the lineout the Horsham pack gathered around the ball to put in their customary maul and drove the ball over the white wash to score their second try of the afternoon. The conversion was again wide of the post, so the half finished 10-0.

The second half possession was dominated by the visitors, with Matt Botterman and Alex Purnell putting in man of the match performances, that in another game and in another place would surely have been rewarded with the scores they tried so hard to engineer. The fact that they didn’t was due in large part to the lack of close off-load support but in particular to the quite exceptional defensive quality of the Horsham eight and especially their back row, who in one seven minute spell, with ‘Boro inches from the line, somehow prevented the white wash from being crossed, leaving ‘Boro with just a Chris Yates penalty for all their efforts. 10-3 FT
This result was a disappointment for the visitors who are “still a work in progress”, and although they secured a consolation point this week, with confidence building they will be looking for victories, not merely being content with gallant losing bonus points!
Next Saturday the boys return to Steel Cross for another close encounter, against Old Alleyians, Kick off 14.30pm.