Hove U13s Blues vs East Grinstead

Blues Edge East Grinstead in Nine-Try Friendly Thriller

The Hove U13s Blues welcomed East Grinstead to The Rec on Sunday for their first friendly fixture against them since last season. Despite torrential overnight rain that left the pitch very wet underfoot, the match was played under blue skies, albeit with a gusty wind blowing up the slope. With tough league fixtures later in the month, this game was an important opportunity for the coaches to try out new player combinations.

Hove played up the slope in the first half but had the wind at their backs. The team used the conditions well, building a 4-2 lead by the half-time break. The first-half tries came from Enzo, Oscar, Murdo, and Guy. Murdo’s score was a particularly smart piece of play; deputising at scrum-half, he spotted an opening on the blindside and scrambled over for the try.

With changes made at half-time, Hove lost some of its momentum, and East Grinstead showed great determination to fight their way back into the game. The visitors won the second half 2-1, but a moment of individual class from Enzo, who scored a classic length-of-the-field breakaway try, kept Hove just ahead.

The match, while scrappy and lacking some structure at times, was a testament to the great sportsmanship shown by both sides. The result was in the balance until the final whistle, with Hove ultimately securing a narrow 5-4 victory.

Our Player of the Match was awarded to Enzo. He scored a brace of tries and was rock solid in defence, successfully managing East Grinstead's dangerous winger. A special mention also goes to Harry, who showed fantastic team spirit by stepping in to cover fly-half in the second half, a position he had never played before.

A huge thank you to East Grinstead for making the journey down for such a competitive and enjoyable match. We hope to see them for a return fixture at their place after Christmas. Next week, the Blues are at training, and we wish the Hove Reds the very best of luck as they travel to Horsham to get their league campaign underway.