A convincing home win for Ventnor Rugby Club 1XV
Match report Ventnor RFC 1XV 36-3 Christchurch RFC Counties 3 Hampshire League
Saturday 21 October 2024
The old adage that “it’s the forwards who win matches whilst the backs decide by how many” was very apparent at Watcombe on Saturday where Ventnor turned on the style to convincingly beat a very abrasive Christchurch squad.
With Lewis Jones, skipper Ben Savill, Layton Greatorex and Dan Lythgoe constantly softening up the mainlander’s defence, the platform was set for Max Wheeler to call the tune at flyhalf and set his hard-running three-quarters into the fray with devastating effect until – by the end of the game – they were meeting little opposition.
The game hardly started promisingly for Ventnor when the hard-working Nathan Frampton was yellow carded in the second minute for an early tackle after a Christchurch short penalty and it was the visitors who looked to be on top with a period of pressure that resulted in a penalty to take the lead.
Little did the spectators know that these were the last points that they would get!
This was not due to any lack of attacking intent but simply to the fact that they met a defence so obdurate that time and again they were driven back or – on the occasions that they made progress – found a cover defence willing to put bodies on the line.
Leading this defensive effort were Lewis Howard, Tom Crews, Joe Coghlan and Ben Souter who covered every blade of grass while Fred Fairman had an excellent match constantly turning loose ball into attacking opportunities and providing a target for the support of Louis Wyatt, George Collett and Andy Teague.
Ventnor’s first try came from some hard running from Jones that set up a number of rucks on the Christchurch line until space was created for Wheeler to crash over.
The mainlanders were under pressure now but Ventnor were letting them off the hook with the number of penalties they were giving away (a long-running habit) so it was a pretty even match until Ed Blake found some space out on the right and, with typical power, pace and balance, swept through the remains of the opposition to touch down.
The half finished with a classic as Coghlan took the ball high at a line-out, his lifters held him there to provide the time for Jones to sweep round and the hooker took the ball and barrelled over.
The half-time score 15 -3
The second half had hardly started before the Ed Blake repeated his effort from the first half and somehow found his way to the line despite being apparently stopped more than once. Wheeler slotted the conversion.
Ventnor were now dominating in all areas with Collett, Jones and Lythgoe seeing off their heavier props in the set piece and Coghlan having a terrific game in the line out in which he several times got his hand on opposition ball.
Jake Babington came on for the excellent Fairman and soon got himself on the score sheet when a move up the left, in which the support for the ball carrier was outstanding, resulted in the try for the rangy full-back. Again Wheeler kicked the conversion – this time from a long way out.
The final play of the game saw the Layton Greatorex – showing well in his first game in the backrow – score with a powerful charge up the middle. Tom Crews, with typical insouciance, dropped kicked the conversion as the whistle went for full time.
Final score 36 – 3.
1XV Team: Lythgoe, Jones, Collett, Frampton, Teague, Greatorex, Coghlan, Savill (capt), Souter, Wheeler, E. Blake, Howard, Crews, Wyatt, Fairman. Subs: Babington, Fox, J. Blake
1XV AJ Wells Man of the Match and Red Funnel Moment of the Match 21 October 2024
The A.J. Wells Man of the Match: Layton Greatorex
The Red Funnel Moment of the Match: Ed Blake
Coaches: Neil Evans, Clive Cardwell-Hill, Todd Riches, Dean Magnurson
Physio: Sarah Watt
Match Day Sponsors 12 October 2024
As ever, we have to thank our match sponsors for the day, namely:-
Abacus Express Logistics, Ayres Punchard Investment Management Ltd, Central Garage in Ventnor, CP Bathrooms, E3S Consulting, Fergus Kenny, Flowers for You, Mackenzies Chartered Accountants (Mark Smith), Martyn Newbery Roofing, No 7 & Niton Post Office, SPR Scaffolding IoW Ltd and Steve Camm.
Match report: James Morton
Best Regards
James
JAMES MORTON
Honorary Club Secretary Ventnor RFC
T: 07901 938 317
Ventnor Rugby Club, Watcombe Bottom Sports Centre, Watcombe Bottom, Whitwell Road, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, PO38 1LP – view on Google Maps
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