Havant showed four changes from the side that beat Oxford Quins last month. Brandon Vince came in for Jarod Leat in the front row with Sam Vince and Angus Southon replacing Will Saunders and Wes Dugan. In the backs, the returning Ben Holt, in outstanding form over the last few weeks, overcame his injury to take back the scrum-half spot. Esher also made four changes from the side that beat Westcombe Park last time out, including having to replace top scoring fly-half Alex Wainwright with regular full-back Owen Waters.

Before the start the crowd acknowledged Jacob Knight’s 100th league appearance. In chilly but sunny conditions Esher kicked off playing from right to left if you were watching from the stand. Ben Holt returned the ball to the halfway line from where Esher knocked the ball on. From the scrum Jacob Knight broke free in midfield and fed the ball to Sam Trodd who made ground. He kicked through and Esher made a hasty touch five metres out. The ball was knocked-on however, but Havant soon recovered possession and Ben Holt, in a sign of things to come, made two good mini-breaks in succession, alongside aggressive play from Jack Colbourne to put Havant back into their opponents ‘22’. Eventually the ball was knocked-on again with Havant attacking.

From the scrum after the knock-on, it came as a surprise when Esher took the ball, passed it down the backline in regular fashion and as easy as you like raced across the half-way line getting the ball to wing Pozinak who made ground before feeding Owen Waters who touched down under the posts. Waters converted his own try. It was hard to tell from distance what had caused the defensive breakdown. 0-7 to Esher on 6’.

Esher powered forward again from the kick-off with hooker Pickford beating five players to take the ball from the 10m line to the ‘22’. Craig Durnin, whose ‘Jackling’ skills are becoming a regular feature of his improving game, saved the situation with vital turnover ball. Play continued for the next few minutes mostly in the middle of the field. Havant then produced a move of real quality to hit back. A lineout on half-way was secured by Sam Vince. The ball went out to the backs where Joel Knight made an outstanding break before finding an accelerating Sam Vince who took the ball on and then passed to an equally rapid Jack Colbourne who scored wide out on the right. Joel Knight kicked an excellent conversion to make it 7-7 on 12’.

Six minutes of ‘bitty’ action followed for the next five minutes with a sense that the two teams were feeling each other out after the first two scores. Joel Knight did produce another good break on the left and it seemed in this game like he had acquired a bit of extra pace during the Christmas break. The short impasse was broken when Havant conceded a penalty which the visitors kicked to touch. Although some way out, they mauled the ball to the line where Havant were deemed to have bought the maul down resulting in a penalty try for Esher and a ten-minute rest for Jez Smith. 7-14 to Esher on 21.

Havant switched on at this point and for the next twenty minutes, up to half-time, were the dominant side. A lineout was secured and Ben Holt made another strong break through the middle of the field and found ‘Galloping’ Sam Vince (he really gets around the pitch) on hand to take the ball well and score under the posts. Joel Knight converted to make it 14 each on 24’. Two minutes later Havant were in for another score. Sam Trodd opted to kick through to the opposition ‘22’. Esher kicked back, poorly, and Ben Griffin was able to feed a repositioned Sam Trodd who broke down the left and kicked through for Tom Gwyther to gather and score. Joel Knight once again converted to make it 21-14 on 27’. It’s worth pointing out that the original field position had been won by a superb kick out of defence by Ben Holt that took his side up to the half-way line.

Esher did get some ball during this period with their number eight Seriki making a strong break which took him up to the Havant ‘22’. A turnover (possibly again from Craig Durnin) won Havant a penalty. Play generally took place in the middle of the field for a few minutes with Jack Colbourne and Ben Holt again showing up well with vigorous mini-breaks. The hosts eventually won a penalty on the Esher 10m line and Jacob Knight kicked to touch to get his team to about 12m out from the try line. From the lineout, Esher were penalised for playing Ben Holt when he didn’t have the ball and it was kicked to touch once more, this time closer to the line. Havant mauled and got it moving well and Jack Colbourne came up with the ball and five points to the good. The conversion was missed, making it 26-14 on 37’.

The last couple of minutes of the half saw Esher really trying to get a score but, through strong defence, having to confine themselves to moving across the pitch between the 10m and the ‘22’. Havant broke free eventually through a Jack Colbourne mini-break out of the ‘22’ – he fed Joel Knight who got clear and kicked the ball through for Ben Griffin who couldn’t quite get his fingertips to the ball. Esher got the ball to touch and the half-time whistle went with Havant leading 26-14.

After a good first half, the second mostly featured play between the two 22m lines. Havant were containing Esher well and, with the bonus secured were likely content to take part in a more limited contest while the visitors posed no visible threat. The first four minutes featured plenty of kicking. Esher threatened on 47’ with a good cross-kick that Ben Griffin couldn’t quite get to, but the player in the way was deemed to have done so from an off-side position. At this stage both sides were comfortably winning their own line out ball with Sam Vince again to the fore.

On 50’ a good steal of Esher ball from Ben Holt, gave Sean Shepherd the chance to break free. From the following ruck Esher gave away a penalty from in front of the posts which Joel Knight kicked, putting his side crucially more than two converted tries ahead. 29-14 to Havant. Havant were playing well, making their tackles and getting the ball away quickly when tackled themselves. It was noticeable that the team is at its best, when it tries to avoid collisions – when they struggle they tend to go to ground with the ball.

I made a note on my voice recording that for the next eight or so minutes not much really happened with the crowd content to see a Havant side looking comfortable at home against solid opposition. On 58’ Havant secured a scrum penalty and for a period, had scrum dominance. Jacob Knight kicked the penalty to about 18m out from the try line but play broke down. Esher themselves won a scrum penalty and continued to win all of their lineout ball which was probably the main reason they were not losing by more. However, their backs were mostly running sideways when they had the ball.

On 62’, Havant finally secured ball from the Esher lineout for a ‘not straight’ throw after a period of Esher pressure around the Havant ‘22’. Jack Colbourne made a break down the left hand side and passed on to Ben Griffin who won the a penalty. Jacob Knight kicked to touch and got the side to half-way. A few minutes later Havant had lost scrum dominance giving away a penalty and a free kick at consecutive scrums. Ross Parkins rescued the side with good turnover ball in the middle of the field and Ben Holt secured a penalty.

Esher had lost their initial spark, Havant had the game won and the play was reflecting that. Ben Griffin, such a solid player, produced the best kick of the half finding an excellent touch inside the Esher half with Esher threatening inside the Havant 22. Havant then found some continuity and pummeled the visitor’s line with what seemed like every Havant forward having a go to get over. Esher defended well but their replacement, Daniel Cooke was yellow-carded. The referee might have been justified in giving a penalty try but Havant made do with a Joel Knight penalty and three points to make it 32-14, close to full time.

There was still time for Esher to score a try in the left corner through scrum-half Pierre Thompson, converted well by Owen Waters to make it 32-22 – perhaps slightly flattering to Esher. This was a solid, professional National League performance by a good Havant team. (Doug Miller)

Other League Results

Barnes 23 – 18 Dorking

Bury St Edmunds 78 – 12 Oxford Quins

Canterbury 28 – 21 Henley

Guernsey 35 – 42 Old Albanian

London Welsh 24 – 52 Oundle

Westcombe Park – 12 Sevenoaks