Barnes kicked off, and over the next five minutes the referee gave four penalties, three to Havant and one to the visitors as the hosts dominated the early exchanges, although without much fluency. From the fourth penalty, Havant were able to sharpen their attacking tools with Angus Southon and others taking the ball to well within the defending side’s ‘22’, at which point Sam Vince picked the ball up at the ruck and ran straight to the line, untouched by the opposition. Reuben Knight converted to make 7-0 on 6’.

Havant continued to have all of the ball. Regathering possession after the restart, Angus Southon continued to challenge the defence, along with Wes Dugan. Reuben Knight kicked through for an excellent ‘50/22’. A minute or so later Sam Trodd, who showed up well throughout by jinking out of tackles in confined spaces, made a half-break which gave Havant possession in Barnes’s ‘22’ once more. It was all Havant and they really should have scored again but a knock-on near to the line gave Barnes the chance to escape. The error felt curiously significant at the time and so it proved.

Against the run of play Barnes scored. Another Havant knock-on in the middle of the pitch handed possession over and after slick interplay, full-back Will Nicholson cut through to score. The conversion was missed, making it 7-5 on 15’. Barnes now had all of the ball but were making errors themselves with two knock-ons, one of which should have been a try. On 20’ poor tackling in midfield allowed centre Giles Bromley-Martin to break away and feed fellow centre Paul O’Dell for the score. This time the try was converted by Jack Park making it 7-12 on 21’.

After the try Havant finally had some possession with a penalty against a Barnes player for rolling (something the referee was hot on all afternoon) allowing Reuben Knight to kick for touch and provide some precious lineout ball. The errors continued. Havant conceded a penalty and then an immediate second penalty for not retreating. From the lineout, however, Havant won the ball with Ash Chirima making a small break. But again, a Havant error returned possession to the visitors and it was becoming a ‘bitty’ match.

It was clear at this stage that Havant had no backline fluency, that Barnes had noticed and that they themselves had decided not to kick unless they absolutely had to. Barnes were winning little quality ball in the tight but for once took some lineout possession, ran it down the line and centre Giles Bromley-Martin should have been tackled but wasn’t and scored in the right-hand corner. The kick was missed making it 7-17 on 30’.

Havant now had a bit more ball, but weren’t a threat, with momentum lost through static back play. It seemed likely that Barnes would score again. Havant conceded a penalty on the ‘22’. Barnes played the ball through the forwards and second-row Caelen Stanton was able to get over the line with Jack Park converting. 7-24 at half-time.

Havant made player changes. Ewen Bailey went off injured, replaced by Will Owen with Wes Dugan going to scrum-half where he would remain for the rest of the match. Will Perry was replaced by Ben Chambers and Ash Chirima by Vinnie Jeffries in a planned change, with Chirima returning much later.

Havant came out for the second half with an adjusted game plan, driving hard through the forwards, mauling and prioritising the lineout where Havant were completely secure on their own ball and challenging Barnes strongly when they had the throw. They were rewarded with three tries. They dominated, using picks and drives to make ground up the middle and sucking in defenders. From one such advance Reuben Knight, spotting space, cross-kicked for the corner. Although his kick was slightly sliced, it fell for Dylan Evans who gathered and touched down in the corner. The conversion was missed, making it 12-24 on 45’.

Jack Park sensibly kicked a penalty from in front of the posts to make it 12-27 on 49’, but Havant, through the forwards, were now playing the right kind of game. The lineout was becoming a real weapon and Sean Shepherd was over for Havant’s third try two minutes later, with the conversion made by Reuben Knight to make it 19-27 on 52’. Three minutes later Wes Dugan secured the bonus point after more penetrative forward play and Reuben Knight again converted to make it 26-27 on 56’.

Just at the point when it looked like the tide had truly turned, Havant seemed to switch off the direct forward-based game and switch back on the uncertainties of the first half. Two conceded penalties gave Barnes lineouts in Havant’s ‘22’ but Havant were able to take the ball and escape. However, Havant, as they had in the first half, started hoisting the ball in the air, down the middle and giving gifts to a slicker backline. Wayward kicking led to the next Barnes try with the full-back slicing through and passing to wing Magnus Broadley to score. The conversion from Park made it 26-34 on 64’.

At this stage, Havant were losing the referee, with several ruck penalties not helping the cause. However, the strength of the lineout was partly keeping the side competitive and when Sam Vince took opposition ball on 70’ a penalty was awarded a few moments later. Sensible heads took over and the penalty was kicked by Reuben Knight to make it 29-34 and a chance to win or, if the line could be defended, take the losing bonus point. .

It was not to be. Two late scores, both unconverted, plus a penalty conceded by Havant for ‘rolling’, when it seemed the side were almost certain to score, killed off their chances. The first came from a ball which was kicked, rebounded off a player into Havant’s in-goal area and Will Nicholson was able to touch down. In chasing the game, Havant threw a speculative pass and Jack Park intercepted and scored. (Doug Miller)

Havant drop a place to 10th, with Barnes now just above them in 9th.

Other League Matches
Old Albanian 57 – 24 Jersey
Dorking 26 – 19 Guernsey
Oundle 38 – 19 Westcombe Park
Canterbury 34 – 31 Leicester Lions
Colchester 26 – 17 Henley
Esher 52 – 26 London Welsh