Horsham return to winning ways

Horsham’s attack coach Richard Bell was delighted with the performance of his team. “I am really pleased. We worked hard, kept our shape and played with pace and intensity. Our execution was good scoring five tries with some direct rugby which were all off just one or two phases.

We got over the gain line and secured quick ball keeping it alive, and I think we only made two handling errors all game.

We looked a threat all day having gone through months of mud and the dry and firm conditions suit us. We like a fast flowing game but have to adapt to all conditions and need to learn this next year.

We struggled to adapt to the refereeing of the breakdown where we felt we were being harshly judged for not releasing and they were flopping over the tackled player.

Our line integrity in defence was good all game and we did not over commit.

This performance will encourage the players for the next few games and when we play with accuracy we are difficult to play against.
Jordan Smith was man of the match and is an unsung hero. He is tireless in his running, makes his tackles and is always at the breakdown.
This was one of our best performances of the season. Beckenham’s game is based on a powerful driving maul and pick and go’s. They are a decent side and not many teams will have scored five tries against them.”

Declan Nwachukwu nearly scored an early try when he went round his man once the first incision had been made by Will Bell in the Beckenham defence. From the next phase the ball was spun right but when it was spilled Beckenham hacked through and it required a great cover tackle from Mike Watts to prevent a score.

Johnny Ordidge broke through the Beckenham midfield off first phase possession and when the visitors infringed at the breakdown Tom Johnson slotted the penalty from in front of the posts.

On 9 minutes the Green and Whites moved the ball wide again, Bell made his customary injection of pace into the line, Nwachukwu rounded his man and this time finished off the movement with a try in the corner. Tom Johnson couldn’t add the conversion and Horsham lead 8-0.

Horsham then scored a well worked try which was finished by a sublime off load from Paul Talbot to send Arun Thompson over the line for his thirteenth try of the season which was converted by Tom Johnson.

Beckenham then had a period in the ascendancy. Rob Grantham-Hill was yellow carded in the red zone after the second penalty offence in quick succession and the visitors took advantage when prop Graham Murray scored from a rolling maul.

Beckenham then scored a superb try of their own when their inside centre broke the Horsham line at pace off first phase possession and passed to the supporting Sean Griffiths who raced over the line to score.

Although both conversion attempts were missed Beckenham had scored two tries in the yellow card period and were back in the game at 15-10.

A last ditch tackle prevented another Nwachukwu score having made a great break up the wing, but then Andy Gray burst onto a Tom Johnson offload to send Jonny Whiting in for a try under the posts. Tom Johnson added the conversion and a further penalty and Horsham lead 25-10 into half time.

James Curr for Beckenham added a penalty at the start of the second half when Horsham were penalised for not releasing.

Beckenham lost their own player to the sin bin for killing the ball. Tom Johnson made a long miss pass, Mike Watts weaved his way in and out and was stopped just short of the line, and when the visitors attempted a clearance kick from behind their own try line it was charged down and Johnson just had to be the first to react and fall on the ball to score, and then convert his own try.

Whiting was held up just short of the line and then Tom Johnson showed the vision to make a wide pass to send Joe Wilde clear to race in and score from 20 yards.

There was still time for Watts to make an elusive break from deep in his half which was carried on by Aled Price and James Johnson, and almost finished off by Wilde before he was tackled into touch just short of the line.

Horsham’s next fixture is away to Dulwich based Old Alleynians on 16 April.

Horsham: Bell; Watts, Ordidge (Price), J Johnson, Nwachukwu (Wilde), T Johnson, Mills; Talbot (capt), Grantham-Hill, Fairs (Barber); Harcus, Whiting; Smith, Thompson, Gray