H&B win game of two halves

The rugby club triumphed 29-19 at home to Old Gravesendians in the quintessential game of two halves with H&B dominating the first and being pegged back in the second.

Lewis Sealy and Dillon Newell combined for Ashley Diedericks to put H&B 5-0 ahead, and Matt Harbord hared in for 10-0 following a rangy break by Jimmy Adams.

OGs pulled a try back only for Diedericks to score his second and Ben Campbell to tee up Newell for H&B’s fourth touchdown. Paul Sandeman converted both for a 24-5 half time lead.

H&B had three players sin-binned during the second half, though, and back came OGs to 24-19 with two converted tries. But back to 15 men, H&B sealed victory when a classy Piers Claughton pass set up Jason Holewell to score.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Rye RFC lost 35-8 away to Brighton II in Sussex One. Full reports on both matches will appear in Friday’s Observers.

Standings (played-points) - Kent 1: 1 Gillingham Anchorians 5-22, 2 Shooters Hill 5-21, 3 Vigo 5-19, 4 Dartfordians 5-19, 5 HASTINGS & BEXHILL 4-14, 6 Old Gravesendians 5-11, 7 Whitstable 4-10, 8 Sittingbourne 4-9, 9 HSBC 5-8, 10 Guys’ Kings’ & St Thomas’ Hospital 5-6, 11 Cranbrook 4-5, 12 New Ash Green 5-3, 13 Beccehamian 4-0.

Sussex 1: 1 Pulborough 4-16, 2 Newick 3-13, 3 Burgess Hill 3-13, 4 Holbrook 4-11, 5 Brighton II 3-9, 6 East Grinstead II 3-9, 7 Seaford 4-6, 8 RYE 3-4, 9 Chichester III 3-1, 10 Eastbourne II 4-0.