Match Report – Ventnor 1st XV v Shoreham

Posted by James on September 15, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Shoreham RFC 16 – Ventnor RFC 47

After their inter-club trials game last Saturday, Ventnor kicked off their season with a Cup game away to Shoreham. The Shoreham side was heavier and more physical than the visitors but Ventnor’s summer training paid off as they ran in numerous tries. The first score was in the home side’s favour as penalties allowed them to gain possession and territory on Shoreham’s short pitch, the forwards driving through to score. However Ventnor hit back with some dazzling threequarter play backed up by great forward support providing tries for Steve Rogers (3), Ben Lush and Damien Marriott. Not to be outdone the Ventnor forwards won many scrums against the head and from such pressure in the home side’s 22 metre zone no 8 Todd Riches strode through two would-be tacklers to score. Shoreham kept competing physically using their line out to pressurise Ventnor but they could not find a way through, even after spreading the ball between the two touch lines. In the dying minutes of the game, Shoreham’s final attack was repelled by Scott Jesney and Rob Jackson. Ben Cooper caught the resulting clearing crossfield kick, confused the defence and sprinted down the pitch before offloading to Lush who sidestepped the remaining defence to score his second try. Fergus Kenny and Marriott shared the kicking duties. Todd Riches was the Wightlink Man of the Match and substitute prop Tristan Price won the inaugural A J Wells Black Dog Award.

Team G. Ball, S. Jesney, A. Pratt, J. Morley, J. Pemberton, R Jackson, P. Berry, T. Riches, M. Cooper, F. Kenny, A. Atkins, B. Lush, S. Rogers, B. Cooper, D Marriott

Subs T Price, O Fulljames (both played)