Eastbourne Rugby Club

Match report

Tonbridge Juddians……….27 Eastbourne………….22

An enthralling game finally gave Tonbridge a narrow victory and spoilt the Christmas party for Eastbourne who had hoped to progress to a mid table position. Home advantage and a big local support buoyed the Tonbridge outfit whose forwards in particular gave a tenacious display of `never-say-die` rugby.

It was fireworks from the start; Adrian Platt raced over for Eastbourne within 40 seconds of the start following first touches from Stafford, Pysden and Keen. The 5 point lead was short-lived however. Concerted pressure by the Tonbridge pack enabled their flanker to roll over for a 5-5 scoreline. But Eastbourne seemed to grow in confidence and a magnificent penalty kick for touch by James Coulthard put the Eastbourne line-out into an attacking position metres from the line. Spires soared high; Groenen drove on and Nathan Ring was awarded the touch down for a further 5 points. Like the earlier try, this was out wide and like the earlier conversion attempt, the extra two points went begging.

To their credit, the home side came back almost immediately when the inside centre Ravilious, chipped over a flat footed Eastbourne defence and ran onto his own ball to bring the scores level once again.

There then followed a passage of play during which on two occasions, it appeared that the Eastbourne ball-carrier should have seen an overlap and passed outside to an unmarked colleague. In an instant though, these opportunities were missed and when the referee sent Dominic Groenen to the sin-bin on 35 minutes and the first kick of the day was successful, it looked as though the half time whistle would see Eastbourne behind. But not so; in the last movement of the half, it was Platt who again sped over in the corner for a second unconverted try to put the Blue & Golds into the driving seat at 13-15.

Perhaps the defining moment of the game was the restart when Eastbourne lost concentration and let in a soft Tonbridge try which was converted to give a 20-15 home advantage. Nevertheless it was expected that the bigger home pack would begin to tire and this seemed to be so in the following passage of play which led to Eastbourne fly-half Coulthard forcing his way over under the posts; a try which Ring converted to restore the lead to the visitors 20-22. And just when it seemed that the result would be secured for Eastbourne, the referee gave a harsh yellow card judgement against Adam Flude and the home advantage seemed to drift back. Indecisive tackles and unexpected turnovers crept in and with 12 minutes left on the clock, the Tonbridge centre ran in his second try of the day which was converted into the 27-22 lead. The remainder of the game was all Eastbourne pressure and on two occasions the ball came within inches of the Tonbridge line. On the final whistle it was the Tonbridge players who celebrated, leaving Eastbourne to rue a victory that somehow eluded their grasp by the narrowest of margins.

Eastbourne:

Barron; Ring; Flude; Groenen; Spires; Oakey; Stafford; Varney; Pysden; Coulthard; Crane; Lawrence; Monkhouse; Platt; Keen; Newell; Tobin; Baldwin