Touch of class from Uckfield

Uckfield provided a touch of class when their players formed a guard of honour to applaud league champions Horsham on to the pitch with two games remaining.

Horsham made light work of the nine positional changes in the side since last week by playing with the wind at their backs and building a substantial half time lead which was always going to be difficult for Uckfield to overturn.

Coach Nick Stocker reflected after the game, “Their guard of honour showed real class and the good relations between the two clubs.
Our mindset was not right, perhaps with the title already secured, and I won’t use the number of changes as an excuse because both sides had players missing.

Whilst I was pleased with our first half, we went off the boil at half time and instead of playing collectively we started playing as individuals against a side who tackle well and are physical at the breakdown. It was disjointed in every respect. We didn’t move the ball well enough and it was our worst second half performance of the season.”

Ricky Tobin provided safe hands from the kick-off and then when the ball was spun wide there was confusion with lines of running and Horsham strayed accidentally offside.

There was good work from Jonny Whiting at the back of the scrum and he linked with his brother James on the right wing who kicked long to relieve the pressure.

Uckfield were then penalised for not rolling away and after 3 minutes Will Bell slotted the penalty for Horsham to take a 3-0 lead.
Following good phase play from a penalty advantage on 8 minutes a mis-match was spotted and the ball was moved right for Finlay Hillicks to score. Horsham then pulled away when on 18 minutes Arun Thompson scored a fine solo try down the middle, which was converted by Bell, following a disputed free-kick after Uckfield were adjudged to have lifted early in the line-out off their own ball.

Uckfield restarts into the wind were regularly not going ten yards and Thompson was showing great commitment and anticipation to regather and run hard into the heart of the advancing opposition forwards. Giles Barber then gave a loose offload which was intercepted by Uckfield only for the player to pull up with a hamstring injury with seemingly a clear run through to the line.

The Whiting brothers were linking up, always posing a threat, then Jonny Whiting scored the first of his brace of tries after the ball was recycled from a driving maul following a powerful surge by Hillicks and good work from Iain Fisher.

A great cover tackle by Fisher snuffed out an Uckfield attack and then Joe Emson was replaced by Jordan Smith due to injury.
On the stroke of half time Jonny Whiting scored his second try after multi-phase play to take Horsham into what was thought to be an unassailable 25-0 lead.

Horsham carried on attacking where they had left off at the start of the second half but Hillicks was adjudged to have not grounded the ball having crossed the try line. Uckfield kicked long to relieve the pressure and with the wind now at their backs the momentum changed.

When the Green and Whites tried to attack on the half way line, defensive pressure forced a handling error and Uckfield won the kick and chase to the try line. Backchat from the Horsham players then saw a penalty awarded to Uckfield from the kick-off.

Regular scrum-half, Ben Rush, who was playing on the wing due to the absences, and struggling to get into the game, then made a committed tackle but was yellow carded when it was adjudged too high together with the Uckfield player for retaliation.

Uckfield scored another try to narrow the gap to 25-14 and when Horsham were going through the phases following a handling error Uckfield again hacked through but this time Bell won the foot race to prevent the touch down. The Green and Whites were absorbing pressure and a James Whiting tackle was required to prevent another Uckfield try.

Relief came when following fine multi phase play, James Whiting had to check to take a pass which was just behind him and this wrong footed the defence and allowed him to straighten the line and burst through under the posts from 20 yards, which was converted by Bell, and put the game out of reach.

There was however still time for Uckfield to score their third try on the final whistle to make the final score 32-21.

When asked to comment on individual performances Stocker said “Ricky Tobin stepped up on his debut to perform well at the line-out. Iain Fisher had a good game around the park and with his line out throwing in difficult conditions. It was good to get Finlay Hillicks on the field, albeit in an unfamiliar position for him of centre however Arun Thompson was my man of the match and showed his all round class.”

Horsham’s final league game of the season is at home to Hastings & Bexhill on 11th April.

Horsham: Layzell, James Whiting, Ordidge, Hillicks, Rush; Bell, Mills; Brady, Fisher, Barber (capt); Grover (Penfold 60), Tobin; Emson (Smith 30), Thompson, Jonny Whiting;