Eastbourne 22 v Edenbridge 17

Summer training may seem to be a long way from matches in October, but the work done by the players working with Billy the beast (fitness coach) and the colts paid off.
Eastbourne entertained Edenbridge RFC in the first league game of the season, and the opposition were not short of their own share of large players. From the kick off Eastbourne maintained possession and territory, however, against the run of play Edenbridge opened the scoring to lead seven-nil. Eastbourne answered the best way possible when within a minute of the restart fly half Alexander Voss Hillier scored and converted to level the scores. A period of poor tackling allowed Edenbridge to score again to take the lead 12-7 but today was not going to be the day Eastbourne were going to go down. Led from the front by team captain Dominic O’Malley the whole team raised their game and from a period of sustained pressure Voss Hiller crossed the line again once more drawing level. The second half could have gone either way but as the half continued Eastbourne’s superior fitness began to show. Missing an opportunity to spin the ball wide following a penalty Eastbourne may have ruined the day, but a concerted effort from every player in the team allowed Voss Hillier to score a further two tries to allow Eastbourne to win their first ever league encounter 22-17. MoM Al Voss Hillier. Training is on Wednesday nights at 6:30pm and Sundays from 10am, new players are very welcome.

Eastbourne: Dominic O’Malley (captain), Luke Kerrell, Kane Angel, Peter Newman, Joseph Skeet, Ricky Van Bentham, Harvey Padget, Joshua Rafferty- McWall, Louis Hall, Alexander Voss-Hillier, Peter Osborn, Lawrence Harte, Matthew Banks, Joseph Tickle, Greg May-Clingo.

(21/10/2007)