Rugby round-up: Brighton Blues told job is not done yet

The Blues were promoted last season and always knew this term would be a challenge but after a tough start to life in the league they have now rattled up six wins on the trot to show their rivals they are not just here to make up the numbers.

Their latest victory was a 31-17 triumph at Sidcup and they are now ninth in the table and 20 points clear of the bottom three.

The tries came from Maxx Morris (two), Henry Shiell and Dave Mcilwaine, who came off with a nasty cut after converting his score. Pete Sowerby converted the rest and slotted a penalty.

Player-coach Taggart said: “We got a crucial five points last weekend against Sidcup and, thankfully, a couple of results went our way with teams below us failing to pick up points.

“That was good for us as we extended the distance from the bottom three but it doesn’t mean the job is done.

“We still have got keep fighting, we still have to keep pushing on and trying to improve week in, week out because we know how quick and easily it can turn.

“If we switch off now and get comfortable and complacent we could easily get ourselves back into that bottom three. But I am confident we have now built up enough momentum and a big enough gap to maintain that position and maybe even move up the table a bit more.”

Taggart believes confidence has been growing and growing after their early season struggles when performances went largely unrewarded in the points column.

He said: “We’ve been always been confident but it got frustrating because we were playing well and not getting results.

“It is confidence. We have confidence in each other and in our training, while the coaching team is doing as much homework as we can on opponents. The lads are listening and have bought into it.”

He added: “We trained smartly over the past seven weeks, monitoring our training loads and trying to keep the lads as fresh as possible.

“It’s just that winning mentality now. We have a mindset we can cause some upsets and the training has got better and better. We know what we’re capable of and we’re doing some damage.”

That confidence will be tested when third-placed Wimbledon visit Waterhall on Saturday but Taggart says every game is tough in this division.

He said: “It’s an interesting league because you have the top three with Guernsey, Rochford and Wimbledon all battling it out and then you have that group in the bottom half of the table where it is all very close.

David McIlwaine goes over

“You have to be performing every week because there are so many teams that can produce an upset. There have been such a mixture of results that who knows what is going to happen this Saturday?

“We are looking forward to it after six wins on the bounce. There is no pressure on us. It is all on them.

“I am sure they would have reviewed our past games and be aware of the damage we can cause, so that puts the pressure on them to go and get those five points. We can really disrupt them if we turn up right.”

Chichester maintained their four-month unbeaten home record - but only just after Medway hit the posts with a late conversion.

Chi dominated large parts of the game to lead 22-15 but were then forced to hang on for the final 15 minutes in the London One South showdown at Oaklands Park.

Medway broke through on 86 minutes to level the scores at 22-22 but failed to add the two points.

Chichester’s try scorers were Tyrese Makasi, Charlie Wallace, Martin O’Callaghan and Toby Golds.

A young Horsham side suffered a 31-12 defeat at home to fellow league newcomers Belsize Park.

Conor Riley and Declan Nwachukwu got the Horsham tries, and Tom Johnson added a conversion, but the more clinical visitors added late tries to give the scoreline a lop-sided look. Eight of the starting Horsham XV were 18 or 19 years old.

Winger Lance Tufft bagged four tries as Shoreham went clear at the top of the Sussex 2 with a 52-21 win against Pulborough II. Fullback Brian Phillips, winger Adam Shaw, centre Charlie Ford and second row Dan Adams all got tries and Adams added six conversions.