On a lovely day for rugby, Havant kicked off playing right to left if you were watching from the stand. The visitors took the ball and kicked straight for touch. Havant lost the lineout and Olise Monye, at scrum-half, was able to send his wing Leiland Gordon (I think) down the touchline before he was bundled into touch. Alex Hayton secured the lineout ball and Oscar Wadman, with his first touch, eased any nerves with a secure touch-finder.

The lineout was turned over by Havant, and Oscar Wadman put in a good high ball and Welsh were penalised at the ruck. Reuben Knight found touch well 5m out and, in what seemed like a try that was almost too easy to score, Wes Dugan took Alex Hayton’s lineout ball ‘win’ and walked over the line. Reuben Knight converted to make it 7-0 on 7’. The defensive lapse was compounded by the restart going straight out and from the scrum Welsh were penalised, with Havant now having attacking ball in the ‘22’.

It came to nothing, and against the run of play, Welsh scored next. Prop Tony Erhawah crashed through the middle and from the ruck the visitors sent the ball through the backs and full back Harley Barnett, on his debut, scored, with the try converted by Flynn Ward. 7-7 on 13’. Now in the game, Welsh dominated possession for the next seven minutes and got their lineout functioning. They were threatening Havant’s line with regularity before a fumble very close to the try-line was then turned over, with Brandon Vince making ground away from immediate danger and Oscar Wadman getting his side up to the 10m line with the kick.

Havant took the Welsh lineout ball, got into the ‘22’ from where a penalty was secured. The kick to touch gave Havant prime ball. Wes Dugan was close before try machine Sean Shepherd got over. The try was converted by Reuben Knight to make it 14-7 on 21’.

It was now all Havant. Will Butterwick (Havant’s most improved player this season) took the restart and Havant made good ground to halfway until a penalty was awarded and kicked to about 12m by Reuben Knight. A conceded penalty cost possession and position and Welsh were able to enjoy a bit of the ball themselves. At this stage they weren’t showing fluidity (perhaps because of the number of new players in the side) although influential centre Max Bodily, who came into the game more as it went on, was trying to drive his backs on. A knock-on returned the ball to Havant. From the scrum, a great kick from Tom Gwyther was badly managed by the Welsh defence with a poor inside pass being swallowed by Brandon Vince. The forwards punched holes up to the line and Tam Lindsay scored at the posts. The try was converted, making it 21-7 on 29’.

Havant were soon on the attack again with Will Butterwick making 15m up the middle. London Welsh retrieved the ball, knocked it on and then Reuben Knight put in a lovely kick after a small run of his own. Backs and forwards combined, with Dylan Evans putting some real pace on the ball, and a pass back inside sent Oscar Wadman over for his debut score. Reuben Knight converted, making it 28-7 on 34’ and Havant were dominant. Jez Smith replaced Brandon Vince who himself would return early in the second half to replace Tam Lindsay.

Welsh got possession and it was only a good cut off by Oscar Wadman, off a threatening kick-through by Flynn Ward, that saved a dangerous situation. To top that he then put in a great kick to the halfway line. London Welsh would, however, then score. Sloppy play in the midfield allowed the visitors to retrieve the ball and good interplay between backs and forwards in a piece of really coordinated play saw flanker Robbie Edgington take advantage of the error and score, with Flynn Ward again converting to make it 28-14 at half-time.

The first ten or so minutes of the second half saw an increased intensity to the game. Welsh knew another score would put them right back in it while a score for Havant could restore the 21-point advantage. Both sides had chances with Havant mostly dominant. For Havant, a Jack Bartlett chip just evaded the ever-eager Sam Trodd and Sean Shepherd almost scored but was deemed to have knocked on over the line. Small mistakes were hampering the effort with a knock-on in midfield, close to their opponents’ ‘22’, losing great attacking position.

London Welsh were putting in a great defensive shift. Havant conceded three penalties close together and Welsh were able to get good position in Havant’s half. The visitors, sensing Havant’s profligacy with possession and penalties, upped their attacking game. Max Bodily made good ground on the left and passed back inside, with good play from forwards and backs sending second-row and captain Harry Breeze over with Flynn Ward on target once more. The score now 28-21 on 53’ and a tight finish in prospect. Havant now needed to score and although they did, it took them a long time to do it.

Their lineout dominance of the first half had subsided, and kicks to touch weren’t quite getting the distance required. This, combined with strong and determined Welsh defence and threatening breakaways into the Havant half, made it harder now to call the winner. Brandon Vince, now back on, took a great take from the restart and got Havant into their opponents’ ‘22’. Havant made it to the 5m line and won a penalty. Opting not to take the three points, they kicked for touch. The lineout was lost but they soon recovered possession. Havant had made a number of changes with George Pooley, Cam Boa and Freddie Ferson on for Ben Chambers, Sean Shepherd and Ross Parkins. London Welsh would also empty their bench in the second half and this probably accounted for the slightly more disjointed play we were now witnessing.

The half itself lasted 52 minutes. Several minor niggles and a prolonged warning from the referee to both captains about too much back chat and ‘advice’ on what he was missing in the tight exchanges accounted for part of this but the Welsh captain himself, Harry Breeze, was then injured (we wish him the very best) and the long break added to the slight drift of the match at this point with so much ‘stop-start’.

Finally, Havant got a score. Having passed up the opportunity of kicking for posts a few minutes before, Reuben Knight decided to add an easy ‘three’ from in front of the posts. But, almost immediately, Max Bodily made good ground into Havant’s ‘22’ and the home side conceded a penalty. Havant prevented the score from the lineout and then conceded another penalty which the visitors kicked to touch once again. This time flanker Olly Wiseman went over and Flynn Ward converted. 31-28 now on 70’ with Welsh having secured the try bonus too.

Havant came back, but with no try in the second half they needed to produce something. Now looking reinvigorated and with the possibility of actually losing the match, the forwards upped their game with Brandon Vince and Will Butterwick punching good holes. A good attacking position had to be stopped because of an injury but soon Havant earned a scrum and the forwards took the ball close to the line before Brandon Vince was able to just about touch down to move Havant eight points clear on 75’, with the conversion charged down.

Welsh, although likely now to lose, upped their effort too with the incentive of a losing bonus, with Havant trying hard to prevent it. A London Welsh player dropped a potentially try-scoring pass, but the referee went back for a penalty advantage after what seemed like six phases of play. The ever-reliable Flynn Ward took the chance to knock over three points, secure the losing bonus and leave it 36-31 at the close. A score that reflected Havant’s relative dominance of possession and London Welsh’s capacity to score when they had the ball themselves. (report by Doug Miller)

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