Havant travelled up the M3 /M4 to play Maidenhead last Saturday. A well worn AGP greeted the team as they run out onto the pitch.

There were several changes to the team including a couple of late ones on the bench.

Scott Morris returned to the wing after several weeks out with injury, in the pack Wes Dugan replaced Ross Parkin and Nathan Bellman replaced Gav Hughan who was on Navy duty the night before. On the bench, Matt Whitehead made his first appearance of the season and Wayne Dugan replaced Matt Barrett.

The game started with Havant still in the changing rooms, off the pace somewhat and struggling to contain the marauding Maidenhead attack. Although all they had to show for ten minutes of pressure was a penalty 3-0.

Some five minutes later and Maidenhead went further in front with an unconverted try much to the pleasure of the crowd sheltering from the cold winds. 8-0.

Maidenhead’s pressure was certainly paying off, as on eighteen minutes another try this time converted gave them a 15-0 lead. Some harsh words behind the try line I’m sure was said.

Although the score remained 15-0 till thirty minutes were on the clock, Havant was certainly more in the game. The pressure finally paid off when Joe Moore beat the covering defence out wide to give Havant their first points of the afternoon. 15-5.

It was not long before a sustained spell of pressure from Havant resulted in another try, this time Elliott Bellman smashing over. Game on! 15-10.

The comeback was complete in the first period in time added on by the referee as Reuben Knight wiggled his way through to make the score 15-15.
Joel Knight had missed the conversion due to the strong headwinds

Half-Time Maidenhead 15 Havant 15

Havant’s dominance in the set-piece continued into the 2nd half and was the platform for some exciting backline play, and with a little more accuracy a few more tries.

Havant took the lead for the first time on forty-seven minutes when captain Joel Knight, who was playing his typical captain's game punched his way through the Maidenhead defence, converting the try himself making the score 15-22.

On sixty-five minutes with Havant struggling to contain Maidenhead’s attacks again, they were left short out wide, Richie Janes had no choice but to intercept a pass illegally causing a yellow card for himself and a penalty try for Maidenhead bringing the scores level 22-22.

The pressure was really on Havant now and with injuries biting harder than the pitch and down to fourteen men they conceded another try, the conversion was missed. 27-22.

Defeat looked on the cards but Sean Shepherd had other ideas, he came back onto the pitch after being a victim of the ageing AGP, to dot down after another superb rolling maul by the pack in time added on by the referee.

The tension was palpable, Joel Knight’s conversion to win! Straight-down the middle it went and Havant had won 27-29.

Full-time Maidenhead 27 Havant 29

“A game of 4 quarters! They came out hard in the first 20 with the wind, we showed great resilience to get back to all square at the break with three good tries. We then let them back in a bit but showed at the end the patience and grit to get the job done. It was a bit attritional and the pitch was very hard. We have picked up some quite serious injuries so the physio will be busy this week but there were some great performances as well. Joel Knight gave a real captain's performance with some excellent turnovers and the cool head to kick the last points but we shouldn’t have been in that position. Sometimes in league rugby, it isn’t pretty but just about getting the job done. We did that and because Wimbledon lost we leapfrog them. We will need to be better this week if we are to challenge Hertford”. Will Knights views after the game