With Joel Knight making his 300 th  appearance, the club welcomed
RFU President Deborah Griffin who made a special presentation to
him after the game. It’s an outstanding achievement, doubly so
considering that he missed a season at one point through injury along
with the loss of another season (and a bit more) to covid. The team
honoured him with a solid win, against a good Westcombe Park side
(especially in the back three) and now make it four wins from the last
four games, all with try bonus points. 
Havant made two changes to the team that won convincingly away at
Sevenoaks last Saturday with the fit-again Ben Holt returning at
scrum-half for Colin Sisk who reverted to the replacement’s bench,
and Jez Smith replacing Jarod Leat (also now a replacement) at prop.
Westcombe Park made seven changes to the side that lost to
Canterbury last weekend – four backs and three forwards (too many
to list!). Curiously, Combe’s top try-scorer, scrum-half Mikel Davis,
who was so influential in the October fixture between the sides, was
only on the replacement’s bench.
In cold and windy conditions (the rain was yet to come) with Havant
playing from left to right, Combe kicked off. Havant had possession
for the first few minutes but mostly in the middle of the pitch. Ben
Holt kicked two swirling high balls for the opposition to take - the
second was dropped by the Westcombe Park full-back Oscar Daniel (a
player loan from Blackheath). They had early lineout ball on the
Combe ‘22’ but were penalised and the visitors were able to break out
through their very quick back three all the way to Havant’s ‘22’. They
looked likely to score until a good smothering tackle from Ben Holt,
scrambling back, preventing a score and the release of the ball to the
player outside. Combe then knocked on and Havant briefly escaped.
From here, up to the 10-minute mark, Havant were defending. A try
was disallowed for an obvious forward pass and Jacob Knight effected
a good turnover to relieve pressure. Combe then conceded a penalty
for a high tackle which Jacob Knight kicked to the opposition ‘22’,
Havant’s first visit. From here however, Westcombe Park, through
their pacy backs, scored their first try. The lineout wasn’t straight and

from the scrum Combe’s backs broke out and set up their left-wing
Keiran Thompson for the score which was unconverted. 0-5 on 13’.
Westcombe Park now had most of the possession in what was, at this
stage, a lacklustre performance from the hosts. It was a game without
much quality as the sides tested each other out. Combe had chances
but lacked precision. However, their off-the-ball movement was very
strong (as it was in the fixture earlier in the season) and Havant
weren’t picking it up. A good passage of possession where there always
seemed to be someone on the ball-handlers’ shoulder led to a try for
Taine Wagstaff, converted this time by fly-half Max Brown to make it
0-12 on 21’.
Havant just lacked a bit of bite but a few minutes later started to bring
more directness and aggression into their game. Two Jack Colbourne
mini-breaks and one from Brandon Vince got Havant over the line,
but they were adjudged to be ‘held up’. A penalty advantage however,
gave Havant a lineout 8m out from the touch-kick and from a strong
forward drive Jack Colbourne broke off the maul and touched down.
The kick was just missed. 5-12 on 26’.
A quiet spell was broken when Havant conceded a penalty for crossing
near to their own ‘22’. The kick went to touch and from the lineout,
second-row forward Samuel Frombo touched down. The conversion
was missed making it 5-17 on 30’. Havant had chances to score. A 5m
lineout led to a penalty concession for ‘blocking’. However, they also
had to defend and were trying to play too much rugby in their own ‘22’
at times. Sam Trodd, in what felt like his first touch of the ball made a
good mini-break to relieve pressure, as did Tom Gwyther.
It was a big defensive kick to halfway from Ben Holt that provided
breathing space. And from here Havant would go on to apply the
pressure and score the points that would win the game (34-10 from
this point). A kick out on the full gave Havant a scrum. However,
Brandon Vince had to leave the field injured to be replaced by Jarod
Leat, before the scrum formed. Havant won a scrum penalty and
Jacob Knight kicked the ball to touch, 23m out from the try-line.

Further penalties got the side closer and after good mauling from a
lineout the side were able to send Sam Trodd in wide on the left. The
conversion again was missed (challenging kicking conditions all
game). 10-17 at half-time.
Havant restarted, the rain arrived and they were penalised for a
technical offence at the ruck. After Combe pressure (and a minor
fracas between the players), they were awarded a penalty in front of
the posts which Max Brown kicked to make it 10-20 on 45’. A sensible
option in worsening conditions.
After the score, the home side put together a good passage of play with
the wet ball going through lots of hands. Joel Knight made a half
break, passed to Jacob Knight and the ball was worked to Ben Griffin
to score out on the right. The conversion was missed, making it 15-20
on 48’. A penalty miss a minute or so later from Combe’s Max Brown
kept the gap to one score. Colin Sisk replaced Ben Holt and it felt like
the next try would be important.
Tom Gwyther at fly-half, playing the conditions well, put a good kick
through to Oscar Daniel, the full-back, who juggled with it and
conceded a scrum. Havant took the scrum and sent in Will Perry to
score, cutting a lovely line from the right. Joel Knight converted and
for the first time, on 59’, Havant had the lead at 22-20.
The team did have to play with fourteen men for ten minutes at this
point with a yellow card given to Sean Shepherd and Combe took
immediate advantage. An overthrown lineout by Combe was retrieved
by them at the back and they sent through replacement, though
normally regular scrum-half Mikel Davis to score under the posts
which was duly converted by Max Brown. 22-27 on 60’.
Havant restarted, the visitors kicked the ball back to Colin Sisk who
won a penalty with the opposition player not allowing him to get up
from the kick. Jacob Knight kicked to touch and Havant now had
attacking ball about 27m out. Will Saunders took a good catch and the
ball was worked to Colin Sisk. Knowing he had penalty advantage he

chipped over the last defender but couldn’t quite touch down. The ball
did seem to be knocked back into the dead-ball area by the Combe
full-back from where Colin Sisk touched down. The referee and touch-
judge were unsighted. However, from the next lineout a big Havant
shove led to a penalty try for pulling the maul down (through
curiously not a ‘yellow’ which is mandatory when this happens).
Havant were back in the lead, 29-27 on 66’.
The rain stopped and a confident Havant were starting to play. Jarod
Leat made ground on the left and the ball found its way to Jack
Colbourne on the right wing (!) who made 25m, well into Combe’s ‘22’
but couldn’t quite hold onto the ball. Two turnovers in succession,
from Colin Sisk and Cam Boa, got the side back into the ‘22’ followed
by a threatening half-break from Tom Gwyther. The pressure forced
Combe into conceding a penalty which Joel Knight kicked to make it
32-27 on 70’. Dylan Evans and Wes Dugan came on and Cam Boa was
left on after Sean Shepherd’s yellow card.
The game wasn’t won. Havant had quite a bit of defending to do with
Westcombe Park making regular drives into the Havant ‘22’ and
having a good attacking lineout which Havant defended well. They
made their tackles and kept out the Combe attack. A great turnover
(either Wes Dugan or Colin Sisk – differing opinions on the touchline)
gave the side an escape and a good Colin Sisk kick gave Havant an
attacking platform. Westcombe Park made a mess of the lineout, Cam
Boa secured the ball on the ground and Jack Colbourne went over for
his second try.
Appropriately, Joel Knight kicked the conversion to make it 39-27 and
secure the victory for Havant who remain in 9 th  position and are now
thirteen points clear of the play-off spot and fifteen points clear of the
second relegation position.