Littlehampton v G's

Match report East Grinstead II vs Littlehampton:

Following last weeks thrilling result against Newick at home, East Grinstead had a slightly longer commute this weekend to an unfamiliar opponent, Littlehampton, this weekend. The sun was shining as we drove across Sussex, a much-welcomed sight after playing through testing pitch conditions in the last few weeks.

The opening minutes of the game saw an electrifying start as Archie Vickers, seizing an opportunity with precision timing, etched his name onto the scoresheet just 7 minutes into the game. With the ball swiftly maneuvered through the slick hands of the backs, it found its way to Will Roberts who bulldozed past a Littlehampton player on the wing. A seamless exchange of passes ensued, with Dan Arnold ultimately setting up Archie for a clinical finish.

We had no doubt that the forwards were going to be tested today against a pack who had both weight and size on East Grinstead. After our first try had been scored, we gained momentum which was rewarded when Rob Salvi powered through Littlehampton's defensive line, carving a majestic J line to crash over the try line, securing the team's second try of the match.

The backs were not to be outdone, Will Roberts left his mark on the game, capitalising on a ruck formed on the pitch which led to a numerical advantage. With Chris and Stan creating space, Will found himself in a prime position to exploit, courtesy of a perfectly timed pass, resulting in an easy finish in the corner.

The battle, between our backs and forwards, for trys continued with an onslaught of scores in quick succession. The first by the absolute try machine Pete Morley who showcased his strength and determination, carrying the ball over the line amidst fierce opposition from Littlehampton's defense. This was soon followed up by our slightly scarier machine Daan Hulst with a try born out of relentless forwards' work, highlighting the strength and grit our big boys had been showing all afternoon.

Max Crawley-Moore further solidified East Grinstead II's dominance, displaying exceptional vision and agility as he cashed in on a line break initiated by Archie Vickers. Rhys' precise offload found Max in the perfect position to exploit a gap in Littlehampton's defense, enabling him to scramble the ball over the line.

The final try for G’s was a testament to East Grinstead II's relentless attacking prowess. Dan Arnold's adept break and evasion skills paved the way for yet another scoring opportunity, as he offloaded to Will Roberts, who effortlessly evaded defenders to notch up his second try of the game, sealing East Grinstead II's victory in style.

In the last play of the game Littlehampton managed to scrape a try after a series of penalties led to a ruck being formed 5m from the try line. With their last puffs, their pack managed to carry the ball across the try line, leaving the scoreboard showing 43 - 5.

With a comprehensive display of skill, teamwork, and determination, East Grinstead II emerged victorious, leaving Littlehampton RFC in their wake, and solidifying our position as a force to be reckoned with in Sussex.

Man of the Match this week went to Chris May-Miller who played out of his skin. Chris was literally everywhere on Saturday carrying hard into contact, distributing the ball through the hands of the backs and doing a lot of the ugly work when the forwards started to tire. Every player from 1-19 this weekend played out of their skin, maybe it was something to do with DOR and Head Coach Ryan Morlen being on the sidelines this weekend! Special shoutouts were made for Archie Vickers, Max CM, Daan Hulst and Will Roberts who all had fantastic games.

DOTD was an easy one this weekend and went to Harrison Griffiths. Pre-game Harrison had been banging on about Wales and after finding out that Wales had lost to Italy, we felt it only right he received DOTD so he could drown his sorrows.

Next up we prepare for our final league game of the season against Midhurst. Glory awaits as a win means we are almost certainly guaranteed promotion and a top of the table spot. It will also mean that the G’s will emulate the first team’s undefeated season a couple of years ago. A coach has been booked for this game and support is always welcomed!