‘It was a really positive day’ – Havant RFC continue winning start to life back in the National League after 15-year absence

Last season's Regional 1 South Central champions made it two National League 2 East wins out of two courtesy of a high-scoring 40-34 triumph at Worthing Raiders.

Havant ran in six tries and were never behind against their rivals from along the A27 during a win which leaves them fourth in the fledgling league table.

Head coach Will Knight said: "It was good to get another win. There was a little bit of disappointment that we let them back in, they got two bonus points out of it.

"The boys were more focused on that aspect and I did have to say 'let's celebrate, we've got five points today'. It was a really positive day. We played well and scored some very good tries.

"I felt we were the better team, I felt we played the better rugby. The tries that came against us really were much down to errors that we made."

Havant opened the scoring just after the midway point in the first half when Jerome Rudder went over for a try out wide. Ben Griffin then crashed over on the half-hour to make it 10-0.

Worthing replied with a brace of penalties and Havant then had Dylan Read yellow carded, yet the visitors stretched their lead to 17-6 through a Sean Shepherd try and Jacob Knight conversion on the stroke of half time.

Worthing crossed for a converted try of their own 10 minutes after the restart, but they had a man sin-binned soon afterwards and Havant took full advantage.

Dylan Lawley crossed for their fourth try - and with it a bonus point - swiftly followed by another Shepherd score in the corner to make it 27-13.

Although Worthing hit back with a converted try midway through the second half, Harry Carr's try out wide and a Joel Knight conversion restored Havant's 14-point cushion at 34-20. Knight then kicked a penalty to put Havant further ahead.

A Worthing converted try made it 37-27, but the home side had another player sent to the bin and Knight duly kicked another penalty before Worthing scored another converted try late on.

Will Knight added: "We knew as much as you can really after one game what was coming. We worked out a strategy to try and beat the team in front of us and for the most part that worked pretty well.

"In the second half we fell off a few tackles and that in the end allowed them to come back into the game for two bonus points. I think they were celebrating harder than we were at the end."

*It's too early in the season to start drawing conclusions about what Havant Rugby Club can achieve at National League level.

That's the view of head coach Will Knight after the Hooks Lane outfit made it two National League 2 East wins out of two at Worthing Raiders.

Havant are competing in the fourth tier of English club rugby for the first time in 15 years after being crowned Regional 1 South Central champions last term.

Knight said: "There's a confidence that we know what we're capable of doing.

"We know that we're a team that can trouble different teams and trouble teams at whatever level. We know what we're good at and we do that very well.

"But it's a bit early yet to be too confident about where we sit at this level. We've played two games against teams who have lost their first two games.

"I think in six weeks' time we will have a really good sense of where we sit in the league and how we're doing.

"We want to do as well as we can, but as I said before, the primary objective this season is to consolidate.

"Getting nine points on the board and placing fourth after two matches is a real positive; we'll take that and move on to the next challenge.

"There's nothing worse than stepping up a level and finding you're getting beaten week in, week out because that's tough to take and if that happens the doubts really do start to creep in.

"Getting a couple of wins has done the squad the world of good. It keeps the mood very buoyant and everybody competing at training. We had 80 players training on Tuesday evening and across the club we've got a real strength in depth."