Henley Hawks 43-7 Tunbridge Wells

By Alistair Beynon

Henley Hawks secured their National League status for the 2026/27 season with a superb second half showing to come away with a 43-7 win over Tunbridge Wells in the National 2 Playoff final. 

The game was in the balance at half time with Henley holding a narrow 17-7 advantage, but four unanswered tries in the second period pulled them clear. 

In front of a huge crowd of 810 people, the Hawks looked understandably nervous in the opening exchanges with the Kent side matching their physicality and intensity. 

However, it was Henley who took the lead on 10-minutes when flanker Max Brown did well to wrestle his way over the whitewash following a good break from Leo Webb inside the visitors 22. Callum Jones added the conversion and Henley had built an early 7-0 lead. 

That lead didn't last long, as a penalty was kicked to touch close to the Henley 22 by the visitors, and a powerful driving maul was eventually stopped short of the line. However, the ball was spun wide and the referee deemed Hawks fullback Tom Cunningham deliberately knocked on, resulting in a penalty try for the Kent side, and Cunningham receiving a yellow card. 

With the Hawks temporarily down to 14-men, the setback seemed to galvanise the home side and it re-focused their efforts. Moses Fakatou and Will Benning were making hard yards through the middle of the visitors defence and Henley were quickly back in the visitors 22. 

Peppering the line with wave after wave of attacks, Scott White did brilliantly to spin out a tackle to touch down for Henley's second score. Jones calmly slotted the extras and Henley were back in front 14-7. 

Shortly before the break, another penalty within the Tunbridge Wells half gave Jones the opportunity to pull Henley into a two score lead, and the centre made no mistake, striking the ball through the middle of the uprights to give the Hawks a narrow 17-7 advantage at the break. 

Despite holding a ten point lead, it certainly wasn't insurmountable, and the game was still in the balance. With the visitors comebacks over London Scottish Lions and Letchworth Garden City still fresh in their minds, Henley came out after the interval firing on all cylinders. 

A knock-on straight from the restart gave the home side a scrum on the visitors 22, and winning a penalty, Ollie Snook kicked to touch 5-metres out. With captain Spencer Hayhow back to his rampaging best, Henley worked the ball up close to the line, and Sam Lunnon in his last game for the Hawks, powered over from close range for the home sides third try of the game. Again, Jones added the conversion, and Henley had built an imposing lead at 24-7. 

The Kent side began to look fatigued, not being used to the pace of play at level 4, and Henley took full advantage. With Hayhow and wing Seb Scott punching holes through the tiring defence, Henley were soon back on the attack, and when the ball went loose in the Tunbridge Wells 22, Jimmy Leach was quickest to react, crashing over for Henley's fourth. Jones again converted and Henley were running rampant at 31-7. 

To their great credit, the visitors refused to yield and they had chances of their own to get back into the game. However, try as they might to find an opening, they came up against a stoic Henley defense that kept them out at every turn. 

With twelve minutes remaining, Henley put the game to bed when Hayhow deservedly got himself on the scoreboard when he put the finishing touches on a powerful driving maul. 

And with the clock ticking over into the red, Henley grabbed one last try when Toby Howe's searing break saw the fullback go deep into the visitors half, and switching passes with Webb on the wing, Howe gleefully crossed the whitewash much to the delight of the Henley faithful. 

With Lunnon given the kicking duties on his last appearance, he nailed the conversion from out wide to spark wild celebrations amongst the Hawks players. 

Whilst it's been a difficult season for Luke Allen's team, with seven wins in nine matches, they have finished the year in majestic form. The key will be to retain as many of the first team squad as possible ahead of the 2026/27 season, as there is plenty for Henley supporters to be excited about come September.

HENLEY

Cunningham, Busby, Jones, Leach (Howe 50), Scott (Snook 73), Snook (O. White 61), Webb, Fakatou (Bailey 62), Hayhow, Bailey (Kinniburgh 40), Elsey, Lunnon, Brown (S. White 75), S. White (Basil 52), Benning

Tries: Brown 10, White 25, Lunnon 41, Leach 44, Hayhow 68, Howe 80

Conversions: Jones 11, 26, 42, 45, Lunnon 80

Penalties: Jones 38

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 

Montgomery, Billin, Baxter (Goodger 65), Thresher (Pearson 72), Hobbs, Tomanek, Rutherford, Bench, Robertson, Waghorne (Hawkins 39), Isbell, Grocock (Doherty 60), Whale, Binsted (Purnell 60), Thornton

Reps: Hawkins, Purnell, Pearson, Goodger, Doherty

Tries: Penalty 19

Star Man: Spencer Hayhow (Henley)

Referee: Daniel Woods

Attendance: 810

Halftime scoreline: Henley 17–7 Tunbridge Wells

Match photos courtesy of Holly Hallett available here.