Hat trick of cup final wins for Horsham

Horsham won the Bob Rogers Cup, played for by all Sussex clubs in London 2 South and London 3 South East, for the third year in succession but were made to fight all the way by a rejuvenated Hove side.

Although Horsham easily won the first encounter at Hove 53-14, the return game was a hard fought 12-7 win. Hove however have been in a rich vein of form, winning five of their last six games, only losing to unbeaten champions Tunbridge Wells, and Horsham had a difficult task to achieve a hat trick of wins in what was a meeting between the sides who finished sixth and seventh in the league.

Hove made a ferocious start. Horsham went through a few phases but made little ground in the face of an aggressive defence and when Tom Johnson kicked long, Hove returned the ball with interest to force a line out in Horsham's 22. A poor pass by scrum half Josh Mills was knocked on by Johnson, and from the ensuing scrum Hove moved the ball wide. It looked as if pressure from Will Bell had disrupted the attack but Hove kept the ball alive to score a well worked try from Boyd Flavell.

Hove were attacking in waves and the perfect conditions were ideal for their quality back line to go through their repertoire of moves. Ryan Morlen charged through and then put in a grubber, and the covering Mike Watts just won the foot race to kick the ball dead. From the scrum Hove again moved the ball fluently through the hands and pressure from Watts forced a knock on.

Horsham made a brief break out from their half when Arun Thompson stole a line out and then gained 20 yards from a rolling maul but the pressure was soon back on when Hove put up a high kick to force a knock on and then missed a drop goal attempt.

Watts relieved the pressure with a long drop out deep into the Hove half and from this position Andy Gray made a powerful break which was taken on by Kyle Fairs for Johnson to score and convert his own try.

Horsham were penalised for a knock on which was adjudged deliberate which Hove kicked long for a line out and from the next play Sam Whiting scored a good try which was converted by Phil Dugard.

Johnson kicked out on the full and the pressure was back on Horsham but against the run of play Watts stole the ball at the breakdown and raced 30 yards up the wing to pass to Thompson in support to run in under the posts for his seventeenth try of the season. This unselfish act from Watts denied him his own opportunity of finishing Horsham's top try scorer this season before returning to Silverdale, New Zealand. Johnson added the extras to level the scores at 12-12.

Hove's backs were looking dangerous every time they had the ball whereas their opposite numbers from Horsham were making mistakes, not playing with the same fluency and were grateful to go into the half time break with the result in the balance rather against the run of play.

Hove continued to exert pressure at the start of the second half when Dugard slotted a penalty when Horsham were penalised for wheeling the scrum, and then after a poor clearance kick they spun the ball wide and scored through Luke Torres. Even though
Dugard missed his kick Hove were now two scores ahead leading 20-12 and the writing appeared to be on the wall for Horsham.

Horsham then started to unleash the power and depth of their bench to which Hove had no match and Liam Brady with his tackling and Matt Stone with his footballing skills and mobility made an immediate impression. The balance of play swung in Horsham's direction. Johnny Ordidge, playing his 60th successive game across more than two seasons, made a big tackle which won a penalty and a sign of Horsham's growing confidence was when Johnson declined the kick at goal which was well within his range and instead went for the catch and drive off the line out. Although this did not succeed Horsham were patient in their build up play and went through multiple phases until Mills burst through a gap to score which Johnson converted.

Soon after the restart Horsham scored what was possibly their try of the season by going the length of the field. Johnson threw out a long pass to Stone on their own try line who gathered a head of steam to take the ball up to the half way line and draw his man perfectly and pass to Declan Nwachukwu who scored a stunning try from 40 yards out. Johnson converted from under the posts and after a fourteen point turnaround in six minutes Horsham lead 26-20.

Horsham continued to attack with lung bursting runs on the charge from Stone and Paul Talbot although a yellow card for Watts for a perceived deliberate knock on tempered Horsham's optimism for the final nine minutes.

Hove, who had been opening up the Horsham defence at will in the first half, were running out of legs and inspiration and could not break down the fourteen men in Green and White. There was still time for Johnson to make a long range attempt at goal which fell just short. Dan Crook made a spectacular tackle, Hove were penalised for wheeling the scrum, and after Johnson kicked for touch the final whistle went on an enthralling game of rugby which was a credit to both sides.

Horsham head coach Nick Stocker reflected after the game: "We were below par and didn't click so we are happy to get the win. We were some way short of our best and started slowly when they were flying. I am delighted that we kept our composure after their fast start but we were forcing things and did not look after the ball. We had to dig deep and it was a testament to our character.

We gave them a head start and they had their tails up, but we became more dominant upfront in the scrums and line outs as the game went on. We allowed them to come on to us and did not make enough big tackles or win the collision area.

Tom Johnson has a great understanding of space to set an attack off on our try line knowing that we have a dangerous strike runner on the outside, Matt Stone delayed his pass perfectly and Declan still had to beat his man and then the cover defence.

I want to commend Dan Cass and Joey Walker who were unfortunate not to play, Kyle Fairs had a good game, Liam Brady made an impact and Jordan Smith showed his fitness in the second half.

I am very proud of the guys. I have asked them to play without fear and it was a good team/squad performance."

Horsham: Watts; Bell J (Crook), Ordidge (Carvell), Bell W, Nwachukwu; Johnson T, Mills; Talbot, Fisher (Stone), Fairs (Brady); Harcus, Whiting (Clarkson); Smith, Thompson, Gray