H&B chase greatest win in their history

The Sussex One outfit go into the last 32 contest on Saturday January 17 as considerable underdogs against a side who have won 11 of 12 London Four North West fixtures this season.

But they will make the long journey around the M25 comforted by the knowledge that they have already picked off Aylesford who are joint top of London Four South East.

Hamilton said: "It would be massive - the biggest feat in the history of Hastings & Bexhill Rugby Club. It would give us a huge boost. We have nothing to lose at all and I shouldn't think there's many people outside the team and the coaches who would give us much hope of winning. We go into it as massive underdogs but the team believe they can beat people like this. Having won at Aylesford we do have that confidence.

"We're looking forward to the game, it's a massive challenge and it's the biggest cup game in the club's history. It will be a very difficult game but they lost last week so they're not unbeatable. We don't really think they are going to be significantly better than Aylesford and we do have some information about them. It's not necessarily the worst draw we could have had because if you go all the way you're going to have to beat people like that and it would get them out the way."

H&B's pack has improved in no small measure since the start of the season and Hamilton believes it's in this region that the outcome will be determined. He continued: "I think somebody once said the forwards decide who wins and the backs decide how much by. I don't think we can win a game like this without the forwards having an enormous game and the pack has come on in a huge way since September. I think if there's a real hope it's the fact that the pack can compete and we can stop them scoring because we know we can score."

The Sussex One match at Norfolk Arms last Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.