Chichester looking for an immediate return to level 5 had been impressive winners in rounds 1 & 2. Havant were looking for a step up from their scrappy win over Brighton last week.

It was the home side that started brightest with a well work try for their winger after good work around the fringes by the pack.

This seemed to spark a response from the visitors and as Penioni Tagituamua started to run at his opposite number the Chi 10 was wrong footed on two occasions and guilty of tackling very high. The second was a proper 'clothes line' and resulted in 10 minutes in the bin for Richard Adams.

Havant hit back with a great score as the ball was carried hard by the pack stretching the home defence and then whipped back across the line for a score by winger Jay Wilkes. Skipper Joel Knight added the conversion form the touch line.

Chichester responded with 2 penalties before Havant worked a great score from deep in thier own half. Harry Carr made a fine break and the ball was moved on through the hands of Ben Brierley to Knight who held the winger and released Scott Morris who in turn found Rob Cuffe on his shoulder for a run in under the posts. Knight added the conversion and Havant were back in the lead.

Having grabbed a score at one end Cuffe was on the wrong side at the other end as he gave away a penalty in the red zone and was sent to the bin for his efforts. Chichester punished this lack of discipline and moved the ball across the line for a score that was given by the ref despite a very clear forward pass.

On the stroke of half time the visitors added a penalty through Knight's boot making it a one point game (18-17).

The second period with Havant still down to 14 Chichester grabbed a third try when their outside centre got on the outside of the Havant defence for a converted score.

Playing with 14 against one of the better teams in the league was always going to be a challenge so at the end of the sin bin the Hooks Lane squad were looking for discipline from all. Unfortunately Rob Cuffe had only been on the field a minute or so when he was guilty of chasing a lost cause at a ruck in the red zone and gave the referee little choice but to give him a second yellow and therefore send him off.

Chichester showed their efficiency again and made the extra man count as they drew in the Havant defence and scored a try through their blindside flanker playing on the wing.

Havant responded well and enjoyed the better of the territory but we're always chasing the game. Having worked good field position their line-out malfunction in a couple of key positions allowing Chichester to clear their lines.

Havant's Skipper Joel Knight was bitterly disappointed but recognized that there were positives to take from the defeat,

"The chat after the game was less about today's loss but more how we respond to it. We will learn from this and ensure that we don't repeat some of today's errors."

"Chichester deserved the win because they were clinical when their chances came, we created opportunities but didn't finish enough of them."

"It was a very close game until the cards which in the end made the difference, you can't play 45 minutes a man down and not have some gaps appear."

"We need to ensure we see a response at home next week against Maidstone."