Game of Three Thirds

Just having turned 40 and playing nearly all my rugby at Horsham, Horley was a club I knew very little about. I’d only played them once before and that was this year playing for the third team. They were tough opposition and a cold away trip with only 15 fit players I fancied that a difficult afternoon could be ahead of us.

It amazes me how Rugby can surprise you, if I’d bet on the style of game Horley would play on a narrow heavy pitch with the people at their disposal I’d have lost my money. With the Horley inside centre looking every inch the archetypal crash ball merchant and some powerful ball carriers in the forwards I was surprised and encouraged by the width they tried to put on the game.

With Horley dominating the early phases, Horsham’s defence may have been harder tested if the Horley 13 had had a better day with his hands. Maybe it was the cold or perhaps the pressure from the back line the result was a couple of chances went begging that left the Horley team groaning. Despite this the pressure eventually told as Horley racked up the first points of the game with two trys along with corresponding conversions.

Horsham were in disarray. Half asleep at times with the scrum back pedalling, any possession was kicked away due to a lack of options and they were struggling to get a foothold on the game. A rare sequence of phases ended with a 3pt reward. This seemed to enliven Horsham and the final ten minutes did give the Lions reason to hope when they finally created a couple of try scoring chances, one which was spoilt by the excellent Horley number 15 and another when a straight forward catch from the Horsham number 8 would have seen a clear cut two on one to score.

Half time 14-3.

A slightly rejuvenated Horsham with the wind behind them went straight on the front foot. However the Horley defence was resolute and they hit Horsham with a sucker punch when a miscommunication saw a loose kick falling to their 15. A poor subsequent chase from the team left a hole which was ruthlessly exploited, another score to Horley.

Still stunned by this blow another quickly followed. Score 26-3 and Horsham looked dead and buried.

Now there aren’t many games I can remember in my 23 years playing senior rugby but I think this will be one of them. I’m not entirely sure what started those next 15 minutes or what kicked off the response, all the usual was said under the posts “Don’t let the heads drop”, “Show some pride”. Maybe it was that, maybe it was Horley felt the job was done. Whatever it was, the single Horsham supporter freezing on the touchline with Jo our physio probably couldn’t believe their eyes. Suddenly Horsham started to carry the ball with real purpose into the Horley defence, attacking close to the break down drawing the opposition defence and finally creating the space the ¾’s were champing at the bit to exploit. Suddenly being able to string phases together produced results.
Three trys and two conversions in ten minutes, out of nowhere we had a game on our hands. Score 26-22.

Suddenly Horley seemed to realise the real prospect that momentum had defiantly shifted and desperation near their line lead to two penalties which the ever composed George PP slotted in very heavy conditions.
With five minutes remaining and Horsham leading 26-28 things started getting nervous and Horley rallied with a late attack into the Horsham half, however the ball was stolen from the driving maul and it was to be Horsham’s day.

The final whistle went and a memorable victory was there for the 15 Horsham players that went along with the single supporter and physio.

Rob Clegg