Promising start for Horsham

The match was played over three thirty minute periods allowing unlimited substitutions which provided game time for Horsham’s 35 man squad.

Crowborough play in the league above Horsham in London League 2 South East, and only just missed out on promotion last season, so the Green and Whites knew this was going to be a stern test of their own promotion ambitions.

It was also a welcome return to the club for Crowborough’s new coach Richard Siggs, who enjoyed a couple of trophy winning years as Horsham’s coach in the early 1990’s.

In the first period both sides fielded strong combinations with Horsham enjoying a lot of possession but not having the penetration to break down a resolute defence. Crowborough however showed their class by capitalising on missed tackles to score from two long range attacks. In what was starting to look like a long afternoon for the home side, Horsham finally crossed the line when Jonathan Whiting scored from a pushover try in the last minute of the first half.

The strength of a club can often be measured by its strength in depth and the changes of personnel for the second and third periods showed why Horsham’s future looks bright. Tries from Giles Barber, Rob Hoskins, Will Johnson and young 18 year old winger Seb Squire secured the victory, but the try of the game came from Rory Yeates fielding a high ball in the middle of the pitch breaking left and making a delightful reverse pass to Lee Taylor who stormed past the cover defence to pass to the supporting James Whiting to score.

Strong performances from both old and new faces such as Mike Power, Nick Bell, Dan Crook, Richard Henderson, Guy Bateman and Taylor, who has joined the club from Holbrook to test himself in a higher league, will give the coaches a welcome selection headache as the competitive season approaches.

Unfortunately for Horsham, all six conversions were missed which could prove costly if repeated when the serious rugby starts.

The next friendly is away to higher ranked Haywards Heath on Thursday 22nd August.