Isle of Wight 15-5 Ventnor
Bragging rights were deservedly won by Isle of Wight in this Christmas league derby, as the previously unbeaten Ventnor fell at this hurdle.
With a much anticipated game, a large crowd from both clubs flocked to sunny Wootton Rec.
An initial problem faced the home side as fly-half Dan Ward sustained a knee injury in a tackle while clearing the ball. However the side refocussed and reorganised to defend Ventnor’s initial pressure. Throughout the game, the Islands defence was solid, aggressive and ordered, cutting much of the visitors’ ball to a minimum.
Returning the pressure on to Ventnor, good hands and hard running saw Harri Jones-Evans, the Ben Rouse-sponsored Man of the Match, crash over for his first club try, giving Rangers a 5 point lead.
Ventnor then demonstrated their top of the league credentials, as a concerted effort in the home 22 sucked in the home defence, and the ball was moved out wide for Hayden Lythgoe to score. It was 5-5 at halftime.
After some scrum problems in the first half, IW changes led to a dominant scrum, They were close to a second score but a knock on over the line allowed the pressure to be released by Ventnor.
Maintaining the pressure in the Ventnor 22, turn over ball allowed the home side to move the ball wide and for Luke Blackman to score, with George Huish adding the conversion for a 12 – 5 lead.
Maintaining the pressure, IW saw the opportunity to close out the game. A quick tap was held up and a couple of final passes went astray. Ventnor were showing a great focus on their defence as IW tried on several occasions to cross, all to be denied. However, an infringement meant that they were awarded a penalty some 30 metres out. Huish stepped up to bisect the posts for a 15-5 lead.
Ventnor threw all they had left at the home side and broke out to threaten, but the excellent IW defence continued their determination and saw them through to the final whistle. This win moves IW up to 5th in the table, with their next fixture at Overton on 10 January.
IWRFC: G Huish, A Young, H Jones-Evans, L Blackman, C Browne, D Ward, D Blackman, E Lynch, J Webster, B Martin, J Bishop, K Blackburn, M Newnham, S McQueen, B Savill. Subs: I Puzey, D Bishop, F Vickers.
Ventnor: T Scadden, B Souter, T Branagh, M Wheeler, H Lythgoe, L Butler, J Ford, H Wheeler, J Coghlan, C Hayman, J Coltham, L Morton, D Lythgoe, L Jones, J Rushton. Subs: G Collett, J Gilbey, W Broomfield
