HENLEY Hawks won promotion to National League 1 in sensational fashion with an eight-try 55-27 victory over Worthing Raiders on the final day of the season, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

A crowd of 3,270 turned out at Dry Leas on Saturday to witness a blistering Henley performance in the National 2 South title decider, which saw winger Xavier Andre claim a hat-trick of tries.

Henley came into the game on the back of ten consecutive victories, but found themselves behind after 12 minutes when Sam Hewick took advantage of a turnover on the Henley five-yard line and dived over the line before the Hawks could reorganise their defence.

But Henley responded immediately and levelled the scores with a penalty try as Worthing were penalised for pulling down a maul.

Henley then seized the initiative with two converted tries in quick succession.

First, Jonah Holmes sidestepped several challenges to touch down.

Then Robbie Stapley seized the ball from a Worthing lineout and forced his way through to increase Henley’s margin.

Joe Govett restored some hope for the visitors with a penalty, but Henley replied with another converted try.

Tom Allen broke through before laying off to Andre, who went over in the corner to give the Hawks a 28-10 lead at half-time.

As in the first half, it was Worthing who started the scoring in the second, Govett converting an early penalty.

But again the Henley response was devastating, with two quickfire tries – Andre again at the heart of the action.

He first made a break down the right wing for Hugo Milford-Scott to power over the line and then minutes later evaded several tackles on the right to score in the corner.

Rob Smith reduced the arrears shortly after the hour mark with a try in the left-hand corner which was converted by Govett.

But Henley soon stretched their lead again with a Will Robinson penalty followed swiftly by an excellent breakaway try.

Martin Nutt ran clear on the wing and kicked for Andre to score his third try of the afternoon, which was duly converted to give Henley an unassailable 48-20 lead.

Worthing scored a consolation try shortly before the end when Luke Peters scored on the break.

But it was Henley’s day and they made sure that they would have the final say as Allen burst through a pair of tackles to score an excellent solo try, the subsequent conversion adding further gloss to a stunning end to the season.

Henley Hawks: Briggs, Andre (Baggett 74), Nutt (capt), Allen, Holmes, Robinson, Carter, Scott (Maddocks 74), Morris, Manning (Hadfield74), Clements, McNally (Winterbottom), Payne, Dwyer, (Maddocks 61-74), Stapley (Woodward 74).