Chichester 22 Wimborne 24
Chichester came off the wrong end of a tough-fought battle after falling to a last-ditch penalty kick against 14-men Wimborne.
A debut try for Finlay Glass and scores for Joel Andrews and Josh Stops put the Blues within touching distance of an away win against their lower league rivals.
However, a late penalty from the hosts halted Chichester in their tracks despite an early red card pushing momentum in their favour.
Both teams resorted to kicking early in the match and Wimborne made the most of the early aerial battle. A misplaced kick recovery by Chichester led to a footrace for the ball which Wimborne scored under the posts.
After an opposition sin bin for a deliberate knock-on Chichester used their man advantage to good effect, building pressure in the red zone over the next ten minutes.
A knock on gave Blues an attacking scrum and Josh Stops’ long pass was collected by winger Andrews who outpaced the defensive cover to score out wide.
After two quick penalties increased the lead to two scores, a restart ball was cleared up field. A dangerous tackle saw the referee produce a red card reducing Wimborne to 14 players for the rest of the match.
Despite the numerical advantage Wimborne capitalised on three missed tackles from the Blues defence to score a solo try out wide to widen the margin to 13 points shortly after half time.
Going further behind forced Chichester upped the tempo and the visitors unpicked the Wimborne defence. With the Blues’ pack dominant at the scrum, scrum half Stops launched another attack from 15 metres out with the ball travelling along the line to young speedster Andrews who was stopped just short.
Prop Glass picked up the recycled ball and crashed over the line to mark his first team debut with a try. Within minutes Wimborne had increased their lead with another penalty.
Chichester advanced the ball with good forwards play before Zac Conley wrong footed the defence to make significant gains. The second row used his height to throw the ball over two defenders to the supporting Stops who ran in for a try close to the posts.
Elliot Haydon slotted a penalty to take the lead with just four minutes remaining but Chichester were marched down the field by the referee after a dissent penalty.
Wimborne threw the kitchen sink at the Blues but despite holding strong a late infringement allowed the hosts to kick their own game winning penalty in the dying second to snatch the win away from Chichester.
The Blues now sit towards the bottom of the table but comfortably above Reading and Salisbury scrapping it out for the wooden spoon.
Chichester will be back in action on March 2 when they host Farnham.
Hove 26 Old Tiffinians 20
Hove secured an important win against title-chasing Old Tiffinians to continue their push into the top half of the table.
A brace of tries for prop Tyler Hooper was enough help Hove to a 26-20 bonus try win against second placed opposition.
The win comes off the back of back-to-back defeats as they look to stoke a resurgence in the form which saw them go unbeaten in January.
Scrum half Charlie Knight and winger Guy Patton knocked added the remaining scores to help take maximum points away from the fixture. Fly half Ollie Lewis converted three of four tries from the kicking tee.
Hove now sit in eighth equal on points with East Grinstead ahead of them but with a game in hand.
They now head to Twickenham this weekend looking to avenge the home defeat inflicted in November.
Full Sussex rugby results this weekend:
- Worthing Raiders 26 Old Albanians 39
- Brighton 34 Hammersmith and Fulham 26
- Horsham 19 Bracknell 24
- Eastbourne 29 Old Walcountians 8
- East Grinstead 0 Teddington 26
- Bognor 18 New Milton 11
- Chichester II 40 Fordingbridge 21
- Crowborough 17 Ashford 11
- Heathfield and Waldron 10 Bromley 27
- Hastings and Bexhill 53 Faversham 5
- Haywards Heath 35 Burgess Hill 15
- Crawley 10 Brighton II 34
- Uckfield 9 Shoreham 24
- Worthing Azurians 0 Pulborough 30
- Ditchling 29 Jersey Royals 20
- Hove III Horsham Barbarians 5
- Lewes 19 Eastbourne II 0
- Crowborough II 36 Heathfield and Waldron II 12
- East Grinstead II 48 Hellingly 14
- Midhurst 7 Holbrook 24
- Shoreham II 17 St Francis 19
- Burgess Hill II 52 Lewes II 12
- St Leonards CP 17 Seaford II 10
- Worthing Knights 15 Pulborough II 23
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