Heroic effort wins derby day for Ports

Hastings & Bexhill II 29 St Leonards CP 33 (HT 12-12) An injury crisis at Ports meant they did not complain too strongly at Crawley RFC’s cancellation and instead rapidly arranged friendly against a Hastings & Bexhill XV. The match saw Ports start with a bare XV including a number of players playing out of […]

Ports defeated in pulsating contest

St Leonards CP 19 East Grinstead 49 (HT 7-12) While the score suggests otherwise Ports faced the league leaders and for 70 minutes went head to head with them. Ports had a large squad, as did their visitors, but knew they would be facing a well-drilled and organised team. Grinstead had the early possession and […]

Confident Ports dominate the opposition

Heathfield & Waldron 5 St Leonards CP 43 (HT 17-0) Ports travelled to Heathfield having beaten them 73-14 earlier in the season, but aware of the fact that a larger and better equipped Heathfield team would face them. Ports, like the hosts, had a sizeable team and both teams knew a win was important to […]

Strong start from Crawley stops Ports in their tracks

Crawley 29 St Leonards Cinque Ports 19 (HT 17-5) Ports travelled to Crawley with a strong squad, knowing they would face a strong home team XV. Despite the strength and the size of the squad Ports had enforced changes in key positions, but the initial exchanges were defined by Crawley’s offloading game and strong running. […]

Ports hold nerve in Police thriller

Met Police (Hayes) 19 St Leonards Cinque Ports 24 (HT 0-21) Ports travelled up the A21 for a friendly against new opposition in the Met Police. Despite travelling with a sizeable squad there were a number of changes in the Ports team, the clock being rolled back with Paul Smart skippering the side. Ports found […]

Focussed Ports overwhelm short-handed Lewes

St Leonards Cinque Ports 50 Lewes 3 (HT 12-3) Earlier in the season Ports travelled to Lewes with only 15 players and injuries meant they ended the game with 13, this return fixture saw history repeat itself, with Lewes arriving with 14 and ending the game with 12. The early exchanges did not reflect this, […]

Ports lose out in edgy clash

St Leonards CP 15 Crowborough II 19 (HT 12-7) During the reverse fixture at Crowborough, Ports shipped 60 points, the home tie saw a strong Crowborough side who are solid in second place arrive to face a Ports side that was missing some key personnel and were playing full-back Chopper Gooders in the back row. […]

Professional Ports get job done

St Leonards Cinque Ports 73 Heathfield III 14 (HT 42-14) After two close defeats Ports faced a Heathfield team that travelled with only ten players. Ports loaned them Chris Challinor, Rob Fink and Mike Hutchins in the first half – the game being played 14 v 13. Despite the clear numerical advantage Heathfield started brightly, tough tackling […]

Steely Hellingly power through to take the win

St Leonards Cinque Ports 29 Hellingly II 31 (HT 17-14) Historically these clashes have been very close and this tie was no different, Ports were bolstered by a number of Hastings & Bexhill players as part of their ground sharing relationship and had a sizeable and experienced squad. Ports as typical, were structured and organised, […]