Rugby: Eastbourne make it Count … Horsham beaten by Bracknell… Haywards Heath get better of Burgess Hill

Eastbourne 29 Old Walcountians 8

Counties 1 Surrey/Sussex

Eastbourne triumphed in a game in which both sides showcased unwavering determination.

The contest incredibly tight from the outset, with neither team willing to concede an inch. Eastbo

In the early stages, Eastbourne broke the deadlock with a precise penalty kick from Jake Howe.

Old Walcountians refused to be deterred, responding with staunch defence and determined counter-attacks.

The momentum swung back and forth as both teams fought tooth and nail for dominance.

Old Walcountians capitalised on some hard running in open play. They orchestrated a seamless sequence of moves, culminating in a try that shifted the momentum in their favour.

In the 38th minute, Old Walcountians suffered a setback as one of their players was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin bin. The numerical disadvantage did little to dampen their resolve.

As the second half began, the dynamics of the game began to shift as Eastbourne seized control.

The resilience of Old Walcountians started to wane, allowing Eastbourne to assert their authority.

They launched wave after wave of attacks deep into the opposition's territory, forcing Old Walcountians on to the back foot.

Old Walcountians found themselves increasingly on the defensive as Eastbourne's dominance grew with each passing minute. Fatigue began to take its toll on the visitors.

The breakthrough for Eastbourne came in spectacular fashion when Jeremy Montes initiated a pick and go from the scrum, just 10m out. His decisive effort ignited the crowd and provided Eastbourne with a crucial score.

Following up on his initial burst for the first try of the half, Montes went again from the base of the scrum with some impressive support running, drawing in defenders before offloading to Mason Dowle, who embarked on an easy run-in to score Eastbourne's second try.

The dominance of Eastbourne's forwards once again came to the fore as they orchestrated a fluid passage of play, setting the stage for their third try.

The forwards created an opening before passing the ball out to Aaron Hossack, whose graceful movement seemed effortless as he glided through the defence with astonishing ease, adding another try to Eastbourne's tally.

Eastbourne's relentless pressure continued to pay dividends. From a solid scrum, they gained possession, allowing MoM Hossack, to showcase his versatility. He cleverly kicked the ball through for captain Jake Howe to chase down, culminating in an outrageous attempt at a Chris Ashton-style "splash down" finish,to the delight of the Eastbourne supporters.

Eastbourne were 29-8 winners, their exhilarating display of running rugby securing a well-deserved victory and showcasing their depth of talent.

Horsham 19 Bracknell 24

Regional 1 South Central

Promoted as champions last season, it’s no secret that Horsham have found life tough in tier five this campaign, their highest level.

But they worried upper-table semi-professional visitors Bracknell last Saturday at Coolhurst leading 14-0 before the break only for a last-ditch opposition try to snatch the spoils away from them.

In need of points to secure survival at their new level, Horsham’s Josh Earle finalised a driving maul after just two minutes, coolly converted by Oli Chennell.

Amid dominant possession, Max Greatwood scored the second try, with another successful Chennell kick putting Horsham 14-0 up.

Then, with half-time beckoning, Bracknell broke away for a fine solo running try out wide, unconverted, giving Horsham a 14-5 advantage at the break.

Already safe, fifth-placed Bracknell had nothing to play for, pride apart, but they resumed strongly, pinning Horsham back in their own half, and the pressure soon rewarded the visitors with a maximised try.

Horsham were defending valiantly, but Bracknell pushed over again, the extras taking the score to 14-19.

Horsham eventually levelled the score, winger Alex Mannhardt posting their third well-finished try under pressure following a multi-phase attack, the kick going astray, so it was 19-19 with 15 minutes remaining.

With Horsham tiring, Bracknell stole the game 19-24 with a try in the dying moments.