In a match played in mostly awful conditions, Hornets scored and converted a late try to deny Havant what should have been a good win against a determined Hornets side who are consistent performers in National League 2 West, our sister league. The unrelenting rain, apart from a few brief ‘windows’, set the tone for a match where Havant’s pack had the better of the Hornets forwards, winning three scrum penalties and challenging the Hornets lineout more after the first quarter when we realised we could, with positive effect.
The first ten minutes saw Havant pinned down in their own half with a much-needed scrum penalty relieving pressure after 6 minutes and good defending preventing the Hornets centre making the most of his own excellent break through the middle a few minutes later. Hornets were dropping the ball regularly in the conditions, but Havant were finding it hard to break out, as is often the case in very wet weather. Finally, after eleven minutes they did get away for the first appearance in their opponent’s half. There was no score right up to 23’ on the clock, until a quality kick from Reuben Knight, exactly the right move in the conditions, gave Hornets a defensive lineout close to their own line. A mistake at the lineout saw an opportunistic Sean Shepherd poach the ball and drop over to score unchallenged. Jacob Knight converted. Hornets 0 – 7 Havant.
With conditions temporarily improving Havant were spending more time in the Hornets’ half, so it came as a relative surprise when Hornets broke the Havant try-line on 29 minutes and converted (7 – 7). Havant’s forwards were however exerting real pressure and on 34’, Angus Southon crashed over the line with good physical support from Ross Parkins, to score. Jacob Knight converted. 7 - 14 the score at 30’. Back Hornets came but dropped the ball close to the line, possibly just over the line, and failed to touch down. On the 40’ minute mark a Hornets error, passing back into their ’22 before kicking for touch, resulted in Havant possession and a subsequent forward salvo got the team closer to the line, before Sean Shepherd went over again. The try was converted making it 7 - 21 in Havant’s favour at half-time.
Havant were playing the conditions well and the new boys were adjusting to their new team. Scrum-half Colin Sisk was coming more into the game and Angus Southon had been making good ground with direct 3-4m bursts. Jack Colbourne worked well with the backs in midfield with pincer tackles, stopping Hornets crashing through the middle, until he was replaced after 50’ by Wes Dugan. Cam Boa came on for Sean Shepherd. Hornets were starting to struggle more in the lineout with Ross Parkins and the other jumpers challenging well. They were resorting to longer throws, never a good idea in wet and windy conditions.
However, Havant weren’t scoring and at times passing the ball down the line once too often when the direct approach was needed. The ball was being dropped more regularly and we just lacked a bit of precision when we needed it. This should have been the period when Havant sealed the win. Instead, on 60’ an excellent cross-field kick to the left from the Hornets fly-half was touched down by the Hornets left wing. The try was unconverted, making it 12 - 21. Harrison Young, Eddie Lewis and Sam Trodd came on along with Chris Buckett. Ten minutes later the Hornets fly-half scored himself, touching down his own chip over the Havant defence. The try was converted making it 19 - 21. Four minutes later a good kick through to the Hornets 22 gave Will Perry a chink of try-line light, but with a lot still to do he brushed off two Hornets tacklers to score in the corner. The conversion was missed, making it 19 – 26.
On 80’ Hornets scored on the right with their kicker putting over a challenging conversion in the circumstances, to draw the match. The referee’s whistle went for full-time immediately, a couple of minutes early.
Both sides deserve credit for contributing to a combative match in the conditions. Havant will feel it was a game they should have won and had it not been a pre-season game, a slightly different replacement policy (not a criticism, as it’s understood that was still a pre-season game) and the need for the killer touch that only a league match can truly bring, might have bought the victory. The team mostly played the conditions well, working out that kicking into the Hornets 22 and inviting them to come back at you is a good tactic when it’s wet. Reuben Knight did this well and bought the wings into the game. We learned that our new players are blending into the team and making a real impact and that (a tanned!) Sean Shepherd is still a try-machine. We should remind ourselves that Hornets finished on 79 points with 13 wins and 12 defeats (plus a draw) last season, a better record than Havant’s in a parallel league. To come away with a draw is a good result.
On my way out of the ground I overheard a conversation between three Hornets followers with one of them telling the other two ‘I think Havant had a few ex-London Irish players playing for them’. The other two accepted his apparent insight without challenge. Such is the level of paranoia – some of it justified – at this level, that we’re all looking out for the next team who’ve loaded their side with ex-Premiership squad players thanks to rich backers. It certainly isn’t Havant but the new players we have are valuable additions to the squad and it’s good to have them. (Doug Miller)

Head coach Will knight’s thoughts after the game “ We can take a lot of positives from the game yesterday and it was good for our new squad to get game time together. I felt that we dominated large parts of the game and the set piece was particularly strong. Hornets are a good side and have been at level 4 for a number of seasons and theytook their opportunities well. We have areas to work on, of course, and we will address those in training this week. The dress rehearsals are over, now time for the real thing.”