Bognor back on rugby field - now let league action began

Rugby returned to Hampshire Avenue and after Bognor’s planned opponents had to pull out, Horsham’s second XV stepped in for a friendly.
Bognor on the front foot v Horsham twos / Picture: Mark ColletBognor on the front foot v Horsham twos / Picture: Mark Collet
Bognor on the front foot v Horsham twos / Picture: Mark Collet

Bognor started with great intensity in attack and defence and it wasn’t long before they found themselves opening the scoring.

Ubsdell and Stevens orchestrating the lineout secured clean ball for the backs to utilise space deep in the opposition half, Jack Hornibrook placing a cross-field kick to the right hand side finding Tyrese Makasi who collected swiftly and raced over. Jeremy Newton Young added the points, 7-0.

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Horsham began to string phases together but Bognor’s defence was impenetrable, the likes of Webb, Holden and Knight forcing the forwards back whileHerrington, Makasi and Hay nullified any attack out wide.

Bognor were too strong for Horsham twos / Picture: Mark ColletBognor were too strong for Horsham twos / Picture: Mark Collet
Bognor were too strong for Horsham twos / Picture: Mark Collet

Bognor forced an error and soon Archer was charging upfield generating momentum into the oppositions 22m, the ball was fed out wide to find Herrington who showed his electric pace to score under the posts. Newton Young converted, 14-0.

As Horsham attacked, Makasi plucked the ball from the air and sprinted through to score his second of the day. Newton Young added extras for 21-0.

From the carries of Foote, Webb and Benjamin, Bognor were deep in Horsham’s 22m. Newcombe supplied Hornibrook with superb ball to attack the short side- flat to the line and he offloaded to Stevens, who flicked it on to Archer, who also displayed silky hands finding the man outside him, Hay finished in the corner. No conversion added, 26-0.

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After the half-time break, Horsham began to apply pressure. But Bognor denied them any points.

Bailey, Voigt and debutant Lysaght were introduced, all making an immediate impact.

A high tackle resulted in Webb receiving a yellow card, followed by Lysaght also receiving yellow for what the referee deemed a deliberate knock-on.

Lysaght was straight back into the action, Hay finding him infield with a chip from an attack out wide, the ball again hacked on for him to place over the line, 31-0.

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Archer deservedly scored the sixth and final try for Bognor. Lysaght added two points for 38-0.

Horsham had a scrum five metres from Bognor’s try line and the visitors finally executed a consolation to makr it 38-7/

* Bognor seconds hosted Southsea Nomads to start their league campaign with a solid 36-12 win, led by newly appointed captain James Barlow.

This Saturday Bognor begin their Hampshire premier campaign away to Chichester while the second XV travel to Southampton.

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