Haslemere 19-7 Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight started their competitive season by exiting the RFU Counties 3 Cup in a hard fought match at Haslemere. The home side had already played two league games to start their campaign, while IW had played fellow Islanders Sandown & Shanklin in a friendly encounter the previous week. Haslemere have barely experienced defeat in recent years, securing consecutive promotions, and showed that winning knack in a match that could have gone either way.
However, it was the visitors who started best, using an effective rucking game to drive to the Haslemere line on several occasions, only to be repelled by good defence each time. The hosts were buoyed by their rearguard action and their experienced scrum began to outwit their younger opponents, leading to their opening score after a break down the left wing.
IW were under pressure in the latter part of the first half as Haslemere's offloading game bedded in, but IW's cover defence was outstanding throughout, with Tanner Electrical man of the match Ben Savill prominent. The pressure did tell on the stroke of half-time, Haslemere adding their second converted score to lead 14-0.
The teams traded attacking blows at the start of the second half, but it was again the home side who came up trumps, extending their lead to 19-0. Yet IW battled away, and as Haslemere appeared to tire, IW's scrum and defence began to take control. After a number of forward drives, centre George Huish spotted a gap and pounced for a try which he converted himself.
Confidence grew and huge tackles from Huish, Jacob Wynyard-Wright and Biffa man of the match David Blackman invigorated the team. Time and again IW got into the Haslemere 22, but they could not cross the line after gutsy and sometimes desperate defence from the hosts. Time ran out and Haslemere progress to the next round.
IW will take pride in their performance as new additions to the squad and gameplan settle in. They begin their league campaign away to Alton on 4 October.
IW: Ward, Wynyard-Wright, Huish, D Blackman, Vickers, McQueen, Rolfe, Savill, Butler, Thorne, J Bishop, Jones, Bennett, Gray, L Blackman (c). Replacements: Keyes, Bussell, Young.
