Kieran Leahy kicked two penalties for the IW. Picture by Peter Boam.
PICTURE GALLERY
RUGBYIW II 18, Ventnor II 28
VENTNOR came from a try behind to win this Merit Two derby, played on a frost-rutted pitch at Wootton Rec.
IW II started strongly and opened the scoring with a converted try from Ian Rock in the first few minutes. But Ventnor dug deep and were soon right back in it, when captain Mike Flanagan and Dave Martin set up Warren Riches in for an unconverted try.
The sides then swapped several penalties with Riches kicking two, and Kieran Leahy kicking two for the IW, before great work among the forwards put Ventnor’s Ian Mudge in for a converted try.
Typical of a local derby, the game was warming up and Ventnor were putting pressure on the IW line when tempers flared and the referee had no choice but to brandish a yellow card to one player from each side.
With Ventnor 18-13 up at the break, the visitors continued to gain ascendancy with the forward pack really making an impact. From a line out near the IW line, A. J. Wells Black Dog award winner Martin McMeechan took a fine take and set up a driving maul, the combative Alex Morton coming up with the try.
Ventnor were now on top and the three quarters began to come into the game more. However the best move of the match saw the ball move through several pairs of hands allowing Wightlink man of the match Zack Davies to shake off his marker and touch down to make the game safe.
The IW never gave up, however, and were rewarded at the death with a try from Andy Brown, although Leahy was unable to convert. The Lymington Precision Engineers man of the match for the IW was James Curran.
Ventnor II: Flanagan (capt), Franklin, Malkin, Taylor, Simler, A. Morton, L. Morton, McMeechan, Mudge, Martin, Williams, Meadowcroft, Farnworth, Davies, Riches. Sub: Engelgardt.
IW II: Leahy, Rock, Enticknap, Phillips, Harley, Heighway, S. Gilpin, Brodie, Lilly, Scovell, Downer, Brown, D. Gilpin, Pugh-Panther, Curran. Subs: White, Collinson, Jones, Simpon.
• Pictures from our online gallery www.iwcpgallery.co.uk below.
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