In a tough, highly competitive match, Havant earned a try bonus point but struggled without quality possession for most of it. When the side had the ball they looked dangerous but had to endure long periods when they were continuously tackling. In the first half a mighty defensive effort led to Guernsey being held up over the line four times. Having been two scores behind and getting back to 19-19 after half-time and with Jacob Knight and Ben Holt playing superbly, it seemed that Havant might win it, but just when we needed it we couldn’t get any decent field position and the ball to exploit it. These were two well-matched sides, as they were in the first fixture, in very different ways and they provided good entertainment. As a summary, Guernsey needed a lot of ball to actually score but got it. Havant needed very little to score but needed just a bit more to win.

Havant made eight changes, three positional, to the side that beat London Welsh last Saturday. In the backline Dylan Evans came in at full-back, allowing Sam Trodd to move back to the wing. Tom Gwyther moved to outside centre to replace Joel Knight with Colin Sisk taking his fly-half spot. In the forwards, Wes Dugan came in for his first start since the Canterbury game with Angus Southon moving to the blindside to allow Will Saunders to slot in alongside regular, Craig Durnin. Nick Stoffel came in at prop. Particularly exciting was the inclusion of Oliver Sowerby on the bench, potentially to win his first cap. Harrison Young was also back on the bench after his back problems (the stuff of legend on the touchline!) and a runout for the Dolphins. Guernsey’s home team is very different from its away side, and from what I could see they had made eight changes to the side that lost away at Westcombe Park last Saturday.

From the kick-off, Tom Gwyther caught the ball and returned it through the air. Immediately, the Guernsey centre Jonathan Dawe was on the move on the right, making good ground and putting Havant under pressure. Although the hosts had lots of early ball they weren’t doing too much with it. Havant conceded a penalty in midfield, from a hight tackle and the kick found its way to touch. Will Saunders competed at the lineout but couldn’t quite reach the ball. However, Guernsey were penalised for having a man in front of the ball-carrier at the ruck and Havant escaped. From here Havant soon scored. In the 5th minute, Will Perry was sent on his way on the right, and he passed back inside to Ben Holt. He got to within two metres of the host’s line and the ball found its way to Colin Sisk who touched down close to the posts. Jacob Knight converted. 0-7 on 6’.

Guernsey soon hit back. For the couple of minutes play took place between the two ‘22s’ with Ben Holt putting up a couple of good high balls which were well-taken by the home side. The hosts made space through the middle and Havant were penalised for a high tackle. The ball was kicked to the corner. The maul got moving towards the line but was held by Havant. However, it was then moved quickly to the fly-half Thomas Teasdale who scored under the posts. The conversion clattered off the underside of the bar. 5-7 to Havant on 10’.

Havant attacked again. From the kick-off a great kick through from Colin Sisk was chased with maximum speed by Will Saunders, well into the host’s ‘22’. Guernsey cleared and eventually found themselves with a three-man overlap from which they somehow managed not to score. The first of several baffling referee decisions denied Havant a real scoring opportunity. Ben Holt made a couple of his trademark sniping runs and Havant won a penalty. Tom Gwyther took it quickly (the hosts didn’t retreat at all) and fed Sean Shepherd who crashed through the defence. He was then penalised for not releasing.

The game was highly competitive for the next few minutes with the huge Guernsey wing, Anthony Armstrong, a constant threat across the pitch and popping up with regularity in a multitude of situations. Guernsey were looking stronger but Havant were holding them. One factor that affected kicks and lineouts was the wind and for the most part it was extremely difficult to tell which way it was blowing. It did affect Havant in the lineout in particular, for a time.

However, Havant were starting to struggle in the scrum, being shunted back several times. Guernsey had lots of attacking ball and at this point (up to the 30-minute mark) Havant were seeing little of it. The home side’s backs were slick but weren’t necessarily offering creative ideas. They were getting close to and in several cases over the Havant line but weren’t touching down. A forward pass prevented a Guernsey try from their threatening centre Dawe.

Eventually they had to score and did so after a break through the middle which created space for wing Anthony Armstrong to score on the right. This time fly-half Teasdale was successful with the conversion, making it 12-7 on 29’.

Soon after, Armstong broke through once more and it needed three players to haul him down. This created space on the left with Havant’s forwards defending against Guernsey’s backs. They managed to hold out with the outside centre Dawe held up over the line. The pressure continued and a few minutes later Armstrong made space for the host’s scrum-half Dale Rutledge to touch down, with Teasdale converting. Now 19-7 just before half-time and we assumed that would be the score as the sides went down the tunnel.

We were wrong. A lovely loop move instigated by Ben Holt from halfway created acres of space on the left and his pass gave a fast-moving Dylan Evans the time he needed to run in from 40m out. A brilliantly simple score which showed what the side could do with some ball. 12-19 at half-time.

Havant started badly on the resumption of play with the kick-off allowing a Guernsey forward to make 35m up the field relatively easily. Havant got possession back and Sam Trodd made a mini-break and fed the ball through to Tom Gwyther. He pushed on and looking left, right and left again he found Ben Holt who got to within two metres of the line. The referee penalised him for not releasing (a decision he may or may not have been happy with). The wayward lineout (from the penalty) was pounced on by Sean Shepherd. He got clear and the ball was moved on to Jacob Knight (showing up regularly in attack throughout the game) who broke through. Close to the posts, Craig Durnin was able to crash over with Jacob Knight converting. 19-19 on ’44.

Freddie Ferson came on for Angus Southon (back) and he announced himself with a fine bit of defensive work with his pace(!) getting him to the ball close to his own posts after a clever chip through from the hosts. For the next 10-15 minutes Guernsey dominated possession and on reflection this is where they won the game. On 51’ Guernsey’s Dawe touched down, with Charlie Simmonds this time, successful with the conversion. 26-19 the score.

On 55’ Havant were penalised at the scrum (where they were really struggling). Sevenoaks kicked the penalty to about 8m out, at a crucial point in the game. Havant defended strongly with Jacob Knight to the fore. They got away from their line to halfway eventually but were getting very little ball. They were penalised once more, this time for not releasing at the ruck. The penalty was again kicked to touch, making the ‘22’. Havant re-arranged their side with Liam Charlson coming into the centre and Tom Gwyther moving to full-back. On 62’ Guernsey scored again through their replacement Michael Cantle, once again converted by Simmonds, to make it 33-19 and Havant badly needing the ball to get back into it.

Havant made a number of changes with Cam Boa, Harrison Young and Oliver Sowerby (his first cap and he was able to bring some stability to the scrum) joining the fray. Ironically possession came through two of the shorter players Sam Trodd and Colin Sisk (who also made a good mini-break) taking high balls to help their side get on the front foot. Havant still had a chance to at least draw the game but, at the very least get a bonus point for a try and a second for keeping the deficit to seven or fewer.

Havant pressured the hosts into conceding several penalties including one at a scrum. From that penalty the ball was kicked to touch. Freddie Ferson (I think) took the lineout ball and Jack Colbourne made a break and fed the ball to Ben Holt. Jack Colbourne was back on his feet quickly to collect the ball and score, with Havant earning the try bonus point. Jacob Knight converted on ’74 to make it 33-26 and Havant with a chance to repeat the draw the teams shared last November. Almost immediately Jack Colboune went off with an injury (which looked like a repeat of the rib injury he picked-up during the London Welsh game) and Will Saunders returned to the field.

Havant were still experiencing some challenging calls from the referee. Guernsey spent time in the Havant half to finish the match. It seemed as though the team had successfully turned over ball (possibly either Wes Dugan or Craig Durnin) but the referee saw it differently. Charlie Simmonds had an easy kick at the posts and it sailed over, depriving Havant of the losing bonus point and securing their own win. A minute later the referee’s whistle went.

It was a really enjoyable game, played in pleasant sunshine (but with a difficult wind) and Havant were very competitive against a Guernsey side who rarely lose at home. Guernsey jump over Havant to move into 8th. ( Doug Miller)

Other League Games

Canterbury 51 – 33 Oundle
Henley 45 – 26 Sevenoaks
Barnes 47 – 24 Westcombe Park
London Welsh 22 – 64 Bury St Edmunds
Dorking 30 – 5 Esher
Old Albanians 54 – 29 Oxford Quins