RUGBYLytchett Minster 0, IW 51
AFTER a four-week lay-off, the IW kicked off the year in style with a resounding victory in Dorset.
The Island were far too strong for their opposition and this win consolidates their lead at the top of Hampshire Two.
Though the whole Island side played their part, the credit for this success can largely go to the forwards.
Starting strongly, the IW forced a close-in scrum, and Neil Brading fed Lymington Precision Engineers man of the match Catalin Dinu to bounce off two tackles and crash over.
Shortly after this, the IW pack set up an efficient rolling maul and rumbled over, Ollie Boulter getting the touchdown.
Trailing by 12 points, the hosts fought hard but, when the IW recovered possession and generated quick ball, Brading made a scintillating break from inside his own half to register their third score.
A feature of the IW performance was the relentless support play of the back row, who were always looking for the offload. Sandy Wilson was prominent in this regard throughout, and when he supported an IW attack he was able to pass to Ali Gates to cross the whitewash.
A fifth try came just before halftime, as superb interplay involving Wilson and Andy White enabled Adam Leal to score. Captain Gareth Paisley added two conversions for a 29-0 half-time score.
Lytchett were more competitive for a time on the restart, putting the Island under some pressure, while the play also grew scrappy for a while.
The IW only managed one try in the third quarter, as Dinu registered his second try. However, the Island finished strongly, replacement Nathan Tombleson and White both crashing over.
Paisley added a further conversion and the Islanders looked back on a satisfying clean sheet on the road.
IW: Williams, Curran, Paisley, Dinu, Gates, Brading, Cotter, Puzey, Newnham, Jennings, Church, Boulter, Leal, Wilson, A. White. Replacements: Metcalfe, Tombleson, Rock, D. Gilpin.