The Blue & Golds started 2016 in the best possible way with a resounding and crucial win against a robust side from Kent who had won the earlier fixture back in September. This time, there was no doubt about the nature of the result. Five tries to two does little justice to the efforts of all 18 players in the home squad. Head coach, Russ Aitkenhead can be justifiably proud of his team and a victory that raises them up to eighth in the table.

In the first minute of the game, fly half Ben Barter charged down a clearance kick and visibly rattled the visitors from the off. Although no score resulted directly, it was only minutes later that Matt Pysden took one his familiar tap penalties to make space for Ed Sinclair to score wide out in the tram lines. 5-0 became 7-0 following a wonderful conversion by Barter whose spot kicking improves with every game.

Cranbrook responded vigorously but when they looked like getting a reward, they conceded a penalty which Eastbourne ran confidently into space and winger Charlie Smith outpaced the defence to score Eastbourne`s second of the afternoon. With 25 minutes on the clock, Sinclair was judged to have committed a technical offence and was shown a yellow card. This brought Nathan Ring onto the field and within minutes a sweeping move upfield involving the sweet hands of Redman, King and Pysden put him over to make it 19-0. And although the visitors were on the front foot for the remainder of the half, Eastbourne`s defence was solid right up to the half time whistle.

Barter left the field at half time with an injury and Ring shifted into the centre with Max Cheater moving to fly half. Van bentham came off the bench into the second row and with the benefit of the slope, the scrummage took control. Time and again, props Goldsmith and Bowry drove forward making life easier for the half backs. From one such, Pysden scored under the posts and Ring converted. However to their credit, Cranbrook never gave up and got their reward after half an hour with a typical blind side try from a driving maul. Another great conversion made it 26-7.

But Eastbourne were not finished either and when Pysden put up a tantalising kick into the wind, Nathan Ring seized a moment of opportunism to score and convert his second of the afternoon much to the delight of the large crowd. The only blemish occurred in the final 5 minutes of the game when a moment of reckless retaliation led to a red card being shown to flanker Stefan Cousins. His departure left a big gap and with the final play of the match, Cranbrook were able to pick up a consolation try through their burly winger.

A fine team performance and man-of-the-match going to Matt Pysden

Eastbourne:- Bowry, Sinclair,Goldsmith, Mottram, Farley, Redman, Gray, Cousins, Pysden, Barter, Hiremutt, Cheater, Clark, Smith, King, Ring, Van bentham, Backler