Horsham ease past Uckfield in final home match

Johnny Whiting powers through against Uckfield and (below) Jamie Gibbs in action for Horsham. Pics by Rob Wright

Nick Stocker’s side are on track for their highest league finish for more than ten years and with only one more league game to play against already relegated Burgess Hill, the focus is now on the build up to the Bob Rogers Sussex Cup Final against Lewes on April 27.

“I thought it was a good performance to shut them out,” Stocker said. “We played with a high level of intensity and our control of the scrum was good which Uckfield couldn’t deal with.

“Although we scored four tries in the first half, Uckfield are a disruptive team and after the break we became a little disjointed. We didn’t stick to our patterns and started to force the game with too many offloads and frantic handling when the better option might have been going to ground.

“Over recent weeks we have been showing a return to our good early season form which makes the mid season dip all the more frustrating because of what might have been. We now need to keep the momentum going and build for five points next week.”

Jamie Gibbs opened the scoring after three minutes after some good continuity between forwards and backs. Gibbs then added his second when he cut inside his man after good handling along the three quarter line, to retake his position as Horsham’s leading try scorer.

Scrum-half Ben Rush showed to pass then went through the gap to score from five yards, then hooker Matt Stone rolled back the years with a devastating turn of speed to outpace the defence and run in from 35 yards to score the fourth try of the first half as Horsham went into the break 22-0 up.

The Green and Whites were not so clinical in the second half as Uckfield refused to lie down. Only two further tries were added from Ben Pirt, finishing off a ten yard driving maul, and Rush adding his second try. Stocker added “I thought the front row were excellent and Matt Stone looked particularly sharp. Ben Rush had a good game, and it was good to welcome back Jamie Gibbs and Will Johnson after long lay-offs.”

Stocker also singled out Tom Johnston, Matt Brown, Johnny Whiting and Jordan Smith for praise but gave the man of the match award to Joe Green, who looks at ease having stepped up from the Lions.

Horsham’s final league game is away to Burgess Hill on Saturday April 12.

Horsham: Talbot (capt), Stone, Barber (Fairs 63); Whiting, Green; Price (Fisher 55), Smith, Pirt; Rush, T Johnson; Gibbs, Brown, Ordidge, Taylor; W Johnson (O’Gorman 45).