Saturday, May 17, 2008
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LEAGUE BATTLE FINISHES IN STYLE

Friday, April 18, 2008
Sport/Rugby
Chineham 12, Ventnor 14
VENTNOR ended their Hampshire League, Div-ision 2, campaign in style with a win over fellow strugglers Chineham.
The game started brightly for the visitors, who were playing a fast pace game and dragging the opposition pack all over the park, when Ventnor scored.
The far too familiar trait of being complacent after scoring was thankfully banished by Ventnor, who continued after the re-start with as much vigour and urgency as before. The young forwards competed with a far more experienced opposition pack, who were scrimmaging well and carrying far more weight than the visitors.
Ventnor continued to pile on the pressure in the first half and moved the ball well across the park with quick rucking at the breakdown, where Todd Riches and Paul Berry were creating havoc for the opposition. Playing in the opponents’ half and disrupting the opposition half backs allowed Riches to hack the ball through with Englegardt beating his pursuer to go over for another well-earned try on the stroke of half-time.
The home team responded after the break with phase after phase of tight mauling and attempting to keep the ball with their forwards and scored a try to bring them into the game.
Chineham used the wind to pin Ventnor in their own 22 and finally scored again after a sustained period of pressure but the Islanders held on for victory.
Tomorrow (Saturday), Ventnor entertain New Milton in a friendly.

COLTS GET A BIG KICK
Vectis Colts 17, Andover 5
VECTIS scored a convincing win to move into the last four when they hosted Andover in the Under-17/18 plate quarter-finals on Sunday at Sandown.
The Vectis front row of Joe Morris, Andrew Brown and Ben Allman won the early exchanges, beating their opposite numbers to the breakdown and turning over ball to set up good attacking options for the backs.
Gradually Vectis started to dominate and the opening try was scored. In a move that started from the halfway line, Vectis worked through the phases and moved the ball through the hands to release Jyrad Robinson on the wing to display his blistering pace and score in the corner.
The second try came from a powerful run from full-back Tom Kite. Good support gave him options left and right but it was fly-half Richard Booth who was best placed to receive the ball and score.
A set move from a scrum opened up space for centre James Keyworth to make a break and, with a slide-rule pass, put Dom Norris clear to score under the posts. the try was converted by Booth.