RUGBYSandown and Shanklin 29, Camberley 31
CAMBERLEY pulled off a shock victory at The Fairway last weekend to dent Sandown and Shanklin’s promotion hopes.
Hurricanes were itching to get on the pitch and make amends for the previous weekend’s defeat to Old Mid-Whitgiftians by defeating the side they had already beaten away from home.
But it was the mainland side who took the lead with a penalty kick.
Richard Booth then chipped ahead for Wightlink man of the match Dan Muir to chase, beating two defenders he touched down under posts, converted by Alex Howard.
Hurricanes were in all-out attack mode with multi-phase play. Captain Joe Rees picked up from the base of a scrum, going blind he fed full back Kern Wales, who broke three tackles to score an unconverted try and, after Camblerley missed a penalty kick, Sandown and Shanklin built on their lead.
Will Baxendall found a gap in the centre and was stopped a metre from the try line, a quickly rucked ball was fed to Alex Howard to touch down and convert.
And quickly rucked ball by Vikoma man of the match Sam Rees was fed out to Wales, who superbly drew the defence before slipping the ball to Luke Chandler for an unconverted try and a 24-3 half time lead.
Whatever the Camberley coach said at half time worked as they upped their game 100 per cent, and cracks began to appear in the Hurricanes’ defence.
Two unconverted tries made it 24-13 before Howard scored an unconverted effort to make it 29-13. Camberley came back again and three more unconverted tries made it 29-28, and a nailbiting finish.
With seven minutes to play, the Islanders tried hard to force play down field and, in trying to run the ball out of their 22, fell to a penalty, which the visitors converted for victory.
Sandown and Shanklin: Harris, Thomas, Skelley, Hunter, J. Rees, S. Rees, Tolley, Howard, Booth, Sutton, Chandler, Jones, Baxandall, Muir, Wales, Eldridge, Morey, Heelan.