Agreeing to a second away fixture in West Sussex, the Blue and Golds-minus skipper Clarke, Ricky van Bentham, winger Charlie Smith and stalwart prop Matt Webb- travelled with a determined team bent on improving their performance and putting on a good display for their tiny but loyal band of supporters. The coach, president and club directors were not to be disappointed.

Facing a well-drilled and resolute opposition the visitors took a little time to settle and get their moves working efficiently. In the early exchanges the scrum, strengthened by the return of Joe Bettles and Tom Shuttleworth, began to exert its power and influence. Good penetration of the home defences soon led to a penalty which James Coulthard neatly converted. Despite further attacks on the Chichester line, Eastbourne were unable to turn the advantage into tries. But their territorial gains did bring them another penalty within ten minutes and eventually good work all round brought a very fine try by Nick King on the right-hand side duly converted by Aaron Stevenson. A few minutes later this was followed by Aaron wriggling over in inimitable style on the left. The try remained unconverted. Chichester were unable to reply despite one or two forays into the Eastbourne half as good defence kept them out.

At half-time the visitors led 18-0. In the second half the Eastbourne scrum continued to dictate terms and provide the half-backs with good clean ball. The Pysden- Mckay partnership ran smoothly and effectively throughout the game and gave the team very effective attacking options. The forwards led by Tom Redman, acting skipper, and excellent runs by Mottram, Shuttleworth, Keen, Hibben, Farley and Bettles kept the home side on their defences. Within a quarter of an hour Matt Mottram had crowned a great afternoon's work with a splendid try. Ten minutes later Tom Shuttleworth added another five-pointer. Eastbourne led by 28 points and the home-side were unable to reply to the great teamwork and rampaging forwards of the East Sussex league leaders. As the tick clocked ominously towards the end of play Nick King doubled his tally and Aaron Stevenson duly converted.

This was an excellent display of the running rugby that has characterised the confident and skilful Eastbourne we have come to know this season. A little more polish and co-ordination would have brought even more tries. Nevertheless, the visitors demonstrated their great expertise and their coach Russ Aitkenhead can be justly proud of the squad. It was very difficult to choose a man of the match amid so many good individual performances but the final vote went to the storming efforts of Tom Shuttleworth for his incisive and aggressive charges towards the opposition lines. Altogether this was a very satisfying and heartening display of rugby. Final score Chichester III 0- Eastbourne 35.

Man of the Match Tom Shuttleworth.

Team : Imich, Bettles, Keen D., Farley, Mottram, Redman, Shuttleworth, Hibben, Pysden, Mckay, Stevenson, Cheater, Cousins, King N., Coulthard. Hiremutt, Chilvers, Barron.