Sat 7 Jan 2023, 14:00
Portsmouth II 31-10 IW
The Islanders travelled to Hilsea for their first fixture after a long break due to cancellations and the festive period. The team suffered from unavailability within the backs, especially at scrum-half with 4 first choice players unavailable. Player coach Keith Wallace drew the short straw and took on the number 9 shirt.
The weather in Portsmouth was atrocious with the home side electing to take the slope in the first half. It put IW under all sorts of pressure. The home side scored three tries as a result of a strong kicking game and some direct carrying which IW struggled to deal with until later. The home side’s momentum was halted with a yellow card for a tip tackle on James Webster. IW began to wake up just before the break with some solid set piece work from the forwards starting to direct some pressure onto the Portsmouth team. Wallace barrelled on the stroke of half time from a lineout set play.
Portsmouth managed to continue the momentum in the second half with a further pair of tries in the second half. Isle of Wight managed a consolation with stand in fly-half Luke Blackman crashing over the line to score.
The game finished 31-10 but there were some highlights of the match. Good defence from Cam Browne managed to stem the tide, while George Huish brought pace into the line from full back. Ian Bennett and Kev Blackburn made good impact after playing for the 2nd XV in the first half, increasing the work rate of the pack.
IW were off form on this occasion but will look to their next match, away to Andover II next week.
IW: Huish, C Browne, Jones-Evans, Rann, Rolfe, Blackman, Wallace, Newnham, McQueen, Keyes, Martin, Pudney, Lynch, Webster, Brown, Blackburn, Bennett.
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