The match fitted perfectly the cliché of being a game of two halves. The Green and Whites started at a barn-storming pace with five tries in the first half, but were pegged back by a Bromley revival after the break leading to a pulsating finish in a quite remarkable game.

Afterwards Horsham head coach Nick Stocker joked: “This afternoon has certainly added a few grey hairs to the three coaches! I thought our first half performance was exceptional. We chased well, shut down their options, pressed them into making mistakes and strangled the life out of them. We then showed clinical handling when we had the opportunity and had good control of the game.

At half time we discussed what we need to do to stop conceding penalties at the contact area and defend their driving maul but we lost shape, they had the momentum playing with their tails up and it was only in the 70th minute that we woke up and ran some phases.

My man of the match is Sam Bell whose try was vital in relieving the pressure at the end.”

Following the confidence gained in recent weeks, Horsham made their intentions clear from the outset to run the ball whenever there was an opportunity. Will Johnson fielded a hopeful punt upfield and counter-attacked but was dumped in the tackle, however relief for Bromley was short-lived when after six minutes Johnson gathered another loose ball to outstrip the defence and run in from 35 yards, and his try was converted by Aled Price.

Horsham were wreaking havoc with the Bromley scrum at will although this forward power in the tight did not translate to dominance in the loose.

Bromley responded immediately and it required a tremendous chase back and tackle by Price to prevent a likely score. From this attacking position, Bromley fired up their rolling maul and Number 8 Dave Banfield crossed to score in the corner after eleven minutes.

Horsham then turned the screw applying suffocating pressure in midfield, and Matt Brown a minute later charged down a lazy clearance kick to score.

A double tackle by Nick Bell and Ben Pirt snuffed out a Bromley response and Price fired a long kick into the corner. Bromley infringed and Price slotted the penalty. Moments later Price raced down the right touchline to score a try of his own.

Although the Horsham pack was driving Bromley back at a rate of knots at every scrum this was not being converted into clean ball, and instead the stifling pressure applied by Horsham’s centres forced the ball the be spilled in the tackle and Jonny Ordidge was the first to react to the loose ball and run in unopposed.

Although Bromley came back with a penalty, Horsham were playing all of the rugby and good inter passing between three quarters almost lead to James Whiting scoring before he was squeezed into touch, and then on the stroke of half time Sam Bell showed alertness to take a quick tap penalty from a Bromley infringement to cross the line from five yards, and Horsham turned around at the break with what was thought to be an unassailable 36-8 lead.

Bromley were resurgent in the second half and used the familiarity of being at home to use the slope to best advantage. Their best tactic was the use of a powerful rolling maul following a catch and drive from a line-out which Horsham found difficult to defend and Banfield scored almost immediately.

As Tom Beaumont started his run up for his conversion attempt the ball fell off the tee but he showed the presence of mind in the face of the advancing Horsham players to pick the ball up and drop kick the conversion which hit the inside of the posts to go over.
Bromley continued to apply pressure as Horsham failed to clear their lines and Matt Stone was yellow carded for preventing quick release of the ball as the penalties mounted up.

The pendulum was clearly swinging in Bromley’s favour as Horsham started making mistakes under pressure and conceding penalties with regularity. Bromley slotted another three points and then they kicked for the corner and Banfield crossed for his hat-trick after another catch and drive from a line out.

A Price penalty calmed Horsham’s nerves and then Bromley’s three quarters showed they could play with a well worked move to create the opening for winger James Powell to slice through the midfield and close the gap to 39-28.

Beaumont then put through a clever grubber and Bromley thought they had scored but the ball had been knocked forward.

A succession of injuries in the last quarter might have disrupted Horsham but the changes steadied the ship and Sam Bell sealed the win with a darting run off the back of a long line-out.

Horsham’s next league game is at home to Beccehamians on Saturday September 28.

Horsham: Talbot, Stone, Barber; Grover, Jonathan Whiting; N Bell (Fisher 65), Smith, Pirt (Taylor 65); S Bell, Price; Taylor, Brown, Ordidge, James Whiting; Johnson (W Bell 60)