Bognor rack up 76 points without reply

The Bognor boys were hungry for action and started extremely well in the Hampshire League division one clash with three quickfire tries. Chris Webb and Joshua Burgess dominated in the loose after quick ball from Billy Toone and David Sweeney, the duo setting a great platform for the rapid backline to work from.

George Castleton scored the 600th try of his career for Bognor which opened the account for the home side and they never looked back.

Next on the scoresheet was Chris Webb, the loose-head pouncing on a scrappy ball after great breakdown work from Balchin and Adam Knight. The run-in was easy for him and the score was 14-0.

Quick outside centre Sam Newcombe was next to join the party. The lightning-fast 13 made light work of a lovely ball from his centre partner Joshua Riggall – 21-0 and Hampshire Avenue was rocking.

E&R were working hard at the breakdown and jumped with intent on to the gaps in between the ruck area. Unfortunately for them it was now the turn of Danny Greenslade to score his maiden first-team try.

The raw winger sprinted in to finish brilliantly under the posts.

Paddy Burnett and Pat Gibbs were causing havoc in the outside channels and made the next try look too easy. The two linked up with savage pace and swift hands, Burnett running in and sliding over the line for a lovely score – 33-0.

Jonny Lang was helped in his quest for a try by his trusty steed James Barlow. Barlow, Balchin and Knight were dominating in the ruck area and made E&R’s forwards look weak.

Lang picked from the back of a well-regimented driving maul and planted the ball down for a 40-0 lead.

Chris Webb went in for another try; Sweeney narrowly missed the nudge but the boys were 45-0 up.

George Castleton wanted another score and cut a hard line through the away side’s midfield. Diving for the line the veteran flanker made it 50-0 at half-time.

Balchin was replaced by Darren Bidwell, Burnett by Seve Perez and Joe Greenslade came on for Tom James.

Immediately Bidwell made an impact and won a great lineout on the opposition five-metre. The home side’s kick started the rolling maul and Knight drove well at the backt. The ball was shipped out and it was 57-0.

Gibbs showed he really can shift through the gears, the full-back making his opposite number look slow with a lovely dive over the line.

Newcombe scored again, the versatile back really stretching his legs and burning two of the away side’s backs to slideover.

James was reinstated into the game to replace Joe Greenslade, who had scrummaged like a pro.

Sweeney got himself a try after selling a dummy and running through a gap in the centre of the pitch – 76-0 the final score.

Men of the match were Burgess and Newcombe. Burgess said: “We can’t wait for next weekend. This was all about getting a huge result and we did just that.”

Bognor: Webb, Lang, James, Barlow, Balchin, Castleton, Knight, Burgess, Toone, Sweeney, Greenslade, Riggall, Newcombe, Burnett, Gibbs, Greenslade, Perez, Bidwell.