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Hastings and Bexhill Vs Eastbourne RFC Matt Bumpus in for his Try      Hastings Driving to the line      H&B Breakout for another run           Hastings attacking           Closing in on the line again           Gus Capt of the day      H&B RFC 14  Eastbourne 8 This is always a hard game for both sides and this week proved no different. Eastbourne took the upper hand in the opening moments of the game taking the ball into the H&B 22 area and slotting home a drop goal. The game restarted and the H&B pack went to work ensuring retention of the ball, taking a couple of scrums against the head. Eastbourne had a fast back line and broke out of their half several times using the boot. Turn -over ball from a forced error and the H&B centre broken away hacking the ball most of the pitch and chasing. Kevin tapped on to take the ball over the line only to miss the controlled touch-down. The ball kicked long from the 22 drop out and quickly returned by Mick Ellis. Eastbourne failed to clear the line and H&B was within 5 meters of the try line. H&B needed to slow the games pace and start setting more channels of attack from the rug, this took them to within half a meter of the touchline. Peeling of the back of a scrum Brian McNeilly drove over the line taking three Eastbourne players with him, they all hit the ground but with so many bodies the ref couldn't see the ball and called try held up. H&B took the H&B forwards found themselves again over the line shortly after the maul driving from a line-out and again try held up. Half-time and Eastbourne 3 to H&B's 0. Frustration was the order of the day and the restart seen H&B faultier missing first-up tackles and letting Eastbourne in for a try. The game went back and fourth H&B appearing to have most ball, unable to make this count for much. Duncan Dobson driving over with Simon Mapstone for the third held-up try and a penalty taken by Peter Eames drifting just outside the posts. Fresh legs from the bench seemed to give a lift and strong running from full-bell Dave Hirst denied Eastbourne ground from kicking long, this also was what started the move that put H&B in the points. Hirst coming back into the forwards Peter Eames at scrum-half giving quick ball to the backs and then down the line Getty to an inspired Matt Bumpus. He broke the first tackle and then looked to have been washed down with grease, slipping out of tackles, moving left then right a 60 meter run-in to score. This was converted by Robbie Simmons putting the score at 8-7 to Eastbourne. Clock running down H&B pushed hard breaking Hooker Bill Langley when a scrum went-down. Gordon Howard-Smith on at Flank and Simon Mapstone to Hooker and away they went again pick and drive followed by the back line crashing through getting them deep into Eastbourne 22 and then it came Matt Dawes at the back of a rolling maul dropping for his first try of the season, the conversion for the 2 extra and it was now 14-8 to H&B with less than 2 mins to play. no change in the score seen both teams walk off the pitch having given all. "A hard game, but they always are against Eastbourne. Only a couple of weeks before we lost by one point. which makes this one feel good" said Brian McNeilly. Man of the match Simon Mapstone. Captain for the day Gus Godden (Phil Begg still out).

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