This was the young green and whites penultimate league fixture and they knew that as they were playing the league’s bottom side, only a bonus point win would be enough. The team duly delivered.

Quick hands from the backs led to a second minute try from prolific try scoring winger Max Patterson and for the rest of the first half, further tries were to follow. In total during the match Horsham scored thirteen tries, eight of which were converted.

To be fair to Hastings and Bexhill they tried their upmost throughout the game and during the first half enjoyed a ten minute spell camped on the Horsham line. They battered away with their big forwards but the Horsham defence held firm and Hastings were unable to cross. The ball was turned over and cleared up to the halfway line via a fine kick from Horsham scrum half Alex Harry. To Hastings’ eternal credit they continued with good spirit in the second half and were rewarded with a try.

Horsham made seven changes at half time and whilst they were not quite so prolific with their try scoring in the second half, they did still manage to cross the whitewash on a further five occasions.

Patterson ended up with four tries and there were three for Charlie Best, two for John Matthews and one apiece for Rasmus Madum, James Purbrick, Jake Donovan and Alfie Burchfield. The conversions were shared out between Madum, Patterson, Donovan and Best.

The final score was 81-5.

What was pleasing to the Horsham coaching staff was the way that at no time did the team take their foot off the gas and played “proper” rugby throughout the game. This was reflected in Head Coach Tony Jones’ post-match comments.

“I was pleased with the way the boys stuck to our structures. The forwards drove hard around the fringes, cleared out well and produced quick ball for the backs. The backs ran some very fine lines which produced in a large number of good quality tries.”

Horsham’s final league game is on Sunday 2nd April at Coolhurst against Chichester, and if Chichester should beat Jersey in a rearranged league fixture this coming Sunday, then the winner of that contest will be crowned 2017 league champions.