Confident Half Century Victory for Eastbourne

Crawley 3rd XV – 0 vs 53 – Eastbourne Blues
K.O. 2:15

A confident performance from Eastbourne showing that simple, affective rugby will score many points.

Knowing that only a win would do Eastbourne started with pace and aggression instantly opening an opportunity for Matt Thompson to score in the first 3 minutes (7-0). After 2 minutes in the Eastbourne 22 Matt Eliot took the ball up into the opposition half with a snake - like run barely being touched by Crawley, Eastbourne played two efficient phases and returned the ball to Matt Eliot who chipped over the opposition, caught and scored under the posts (12-0). Eastbourne then endured 15 minutes of Crawley attacking play but a solid defence held up and finally stole the ball and worked it back to the Crawley 22 with some brilliant forward interplay led by Baldwin, after the ball was safely away from danger Paul Keen opened up the defence with a great run to score a 30 meter try (17-0), That was enough for Paul Keen and he retired for Damian Funnel to come on as full back and see Neil Pysden to move to scrum half. Eastbourne suffered a spell of indiscipline where Crawley should have capitalised but couldn’t. The ball found its way to Matt Thompson and with no signs of suffering from his early season injuries, battered his way through 3 players like a wild manatee to pop the ball to Matt Elliot who scored (24-0). The second half saw replacements Neil and Aiden come on for Ian MacKee and James Child respectively; the backs had a reshuffle moving Plato to 10, Elliot to 15, and Fuller to 13.

As in the first half Eastbourne started with aggression and a quick minded penalty popped to Matt Thompson to score his hat trick (29-0). James Bewley replaced injured Sam Stenning with immediate impact winning a scrum against the head, with the defence unawares Matt Thompson took advantage and bounced over the try line for his 4th of the match (36-0). In a carbon copy of the last try Eastbourne won another scrum against the head, but this time the backs capitalised with Martin King scoring(41-0). An exchange of a few penalties saw a lull in good play but some individual magic from Aiden saw Eastbourne gain a 5meter scum. Eastbourne held its cool and calmly waited for the gap to appear, which it did and Plato snuck his way through for a score (46-0). Still putting on the pressure Eastbourne played two phases from the restart releasing Plato and Funnel up the wing, with Funnel claiming the spoils (53-0).

Solid performances from the back row, Mills and Redman in general but MOM Matt Thompson.

Team – Sanders, Baldwin, Stenning, MacKee (Neil 40mins), Norwood, Mills (PL), Redman, Thompson, Keen P. (Funnel 22mins), Elliot, Keen J, King, Plato, Child (Aiden 40mins), Pysden (Captain)