The Ventnor team celebrate outside Locksheath Pumas’ clubhouse.
RUGBYLocksheath Pumas 15, Ventnor 40
VENTNOR sealed the Hampshire Three title in style in this match away to Locksheath Pumas on Saturday.
The team were showered in champagne after the romping victory which capped a fantastic season for the side.
Right from the kick-off, Ventnor went on the attack and from a scrum on the left side of play, Adam Adkins broke through and score Ventnor’s first try under the posts. Fullback Tim MacAdam, who had a storming game, kicked the conversion.
Locksheath came straight back and scored an unconverted try but Ventnor were not to be denied.
Josh Franklin won clean ball at the lineout and Rogers drove up the centre and was bundled over the line by Wightlink man of the match, Fergus Kenny. Again MacAdam converted.
Already Locksheath were feeling the pressure and Ventnor’s set scrum began to dominate. Centre Ben Lush then performed an outrageous dummy to sprint under the posts with MacAdam adding the extra points.
Ventnor allowed their concentration to lapse, concedeing a few penalties and, ultimately, a try, to make the score 21-15 in Ventnor’s favour at the half time break, but they upped their intensity in the second half, scoring three more tries.
Firstly, Damien Marriott dodged his marker and touched down under the posts for a converted try, before Dave Champion and Todd Riches helped put Rogers in for his second try.
And finally, from a set scrum in their own half, Ben Cooper sprinted 40m down the left wing to feed prop Scott Jesney who charged under the posts. MacAdam again converted.
Coach David Ball said: “The team has worked really hard and the success they have had has been well earned. It was a genuine team effort.”
Ventnor: Pratt, Franklin, Jesney, Dilnot, Entwhistle, Jackson, Berry, Riches, Kenny, Champion, Lush, Rogers, Marriott, Adkins, MacAdam. Subs: Price, Morley, Pemberton, Cooper, Vanassche.