Improvement needed despite win

The rugby club returned from a five-week festive break with a 23-17 victory away to Beccehamian - the bottom club in Kent One - last weekend.

But head coach Smith knows H&B must up their game at home to Shooters Hill tomorrow (Saturday) if they are to maintain an unbeaten sequence stretching back to November 12.

He said: “We need to improve if we’re to beat Shooters Hill on Saturday. It was a win, but it was an ugly win and we were rusty. We played some superb rugby in the first 20 minutes.

“But for 50 minutes it was nip and tuck when really we should’ve finished that game in the first half. We should’ve had 30 points in the first half and the last six minutes we were on our tryline defending.

“I think we can put last Saturday’s game down as a warm-up. It’s exposed a few things that we keep doing over the course of the season and also hopefully fitness might have improved after that.”

H&B only find themselves in sixth place despite winning their last four games (if you include the walkover against Guy’s Hospital).

Tomorrow’s match is key if H&B are to break into the top four. They trail their opponents by four points and two places having played the same number of games, and could go above them with a bonus point victory.

H&B have lost only to leaders Gillingham Anchorians on home soil this term. Kick-off at William Parker Sports College is 2.15pm.

Elsewhere tomorrow, Rye RFC will host Brighton II in Sussex One. See today’s Observers for full previews on both matches.