Portsmouth III 27-12 IW II
Isle of Wight seconds began 2023 with defeat in a well contested game at Hilsea. In their first league match since October, an experienced but patchwork IW side was within sight of victory for most of the game before Portsmouth blitzed them in the final 10 minutes. With some regulars unavailable, IW travelled with 14 players, but their hosts were good enough to lend them a player so that the game could be contested 15-a-side.
Conditions were difficult for both sides with a strong diagonal wind and heavy showers throughout. IW faced that wind in the first half and played some excellent rugby, dominating possession through their hard-working pack and spending long periods in the home team’s half, with Kevin Blackburn and Jayme Bishop prominent. It was Portsmouth who opened the scoring though with a well executed try on 20 minutes. They repelled constant IW pressure thereafter, before IW got on terms just before half-time. With seasoned scrum-half Stuart Browne directing traffic, Biffa man of the match Ian Bennett was stopped just short, before Sam Jones powered over from close range. The score was 5-5 at the break.
IW did not have the same degree of territorial dominance in the second half, in spite of wind advantage. Portsmouth had a stack of replacements to call on and upped their game, while IW had no such luxury. Stalemate continued for the first 15 minutes of the second half, before Pompey regained the lead with a flowing length of the field move, though IW were adamant that one of the home players was well over the touchline during the move.
The Islanders battled back well and roared into the opposition 22, before Romsey legend Nick Creal, operating at full-back for IW, crashed over in trademark fashion. Fountain Inn man of the match Aaron Young added the conversion to level the scores at 12-12. As the final 10 minutes dawned, any outcome seemed possible, but the tiring IW team were not able to stay with the rampant home side in the closing stages, as gaps appeared in their previously excellent defence. Two tries put the game beyond the valiant Islanders, before Portsmouth added another score with the last play, leaving IW with a harsh scoreline considering their contribution to the game.
The seconds are back on home turf this Saturday, entertaining Chichester III at 2 pm at Wootton Rec.
IW: Creal, Wynyard-Wright, Mitchum, Walls, Leahy, Young, S Browne, Metcalfe, Davey, Blackburn, Groves, J Bishop, Jones, Bennett, Turtle ©.
