Nolan shares this latest report from the Ventnor RFC. The first report by Adam Pratt, the second by Stuart Babington. Ed
Millbrook 1st XV 64-46 Ventnor 1st XV
Ventnor travelled to Millbrook for their last league game of the 2017/2018 season. The side was confident going into game having had their first win of the season the previous weekend. The game started with Ventnor on the front foot, when Sam Lines put Ventnor ahead with a penalty making it three nil to the visitors.
What came next can only be described and as a fantastic game of rugby played by both sides.
Widening the gap
Millbrook took the lead with two unanswered tries, but then Ventnor answered back with a try of their own and this was how the game would continue until the final whistle. Ventnor used their set piece well with both scrums and lineouts working to their advantage, but every time Ventnor got close to their hosts, Millbrook would score to widen the gap.
The final score was 64-46 to Millbrook with tries for Ventnor from Paul Berry two, Sam Lines two, Lewis Jones, Andy Gough and Jake Babington. Sam lines converted four times.
No giving up
It has been tough season for Ventnor on the field, but never once did they let their heads go down or give up on each other and kept playing until the final whistle even when they had no chance of winning games.
It shows the true character of a side on how they take defeat and learn from it. Hopefully the off season will serve them well and they come back next season with the same attitude and determination they have showed this season.
The future is bright the future is blue and white.
AJ Wells & Sons Man of the Match: Lewis Jones
Ventnor Haven Fisher Cod Eye of the Day: Liam Roberts
Squad: Dawson, Jones, Pratt, Saville, Green, Clarke, Edwards, Pickard, Berry, Gough, Blake, Lines, Dobas, Blow, Urbonas, Babington, Riches, Roberts
Southampton XV 60-10 Ventnor 2nd XV
Ventnor 2nd XV travelled to Southampton for the last game of the season on a joint away day for both teams.
The side were a good mix of young and old with three of the players equally more than 150 years! Ventnor started with 14 as the over sees player Mark Wilson was late arriving, probably as confused as the taxis that dropped off both teams at all the wrong grounds!
Pacey back line dominated
Ventnor started brightly and if it hadn’t been for a last ditch tackle of veteran fly half Ross Harris they would have gone ahead. At this point Southampton woke up and their pacey back line started to dominate.
Wilson arrived and Ventnor were back up to 15, at this point the impressive Chris Hill, who had been making huge tackles all over the park had to leave the filed with a damaged shoulder.
Southampton lent Ventnor a player, who then ran down to wing to score for the visitors. Warren Riches missed the conversion. Ventnor buoyant from this score, then ceased on a loose ball & the ever green Dean Magnurson scored in the corner. The conversion was missed again.
Well-rehearsed moves by Southampton
Pretty much the play for the remainder of the match was one way traffic with Southampton pulling off well-rehearsed moves and using their “Giant” to find the gaps to burst through the line. Ventnor tried the kicking game with Alan Fox, Warren Riches, Ben Gough and Stuart Babington all trying out some new interesting positional kicking!
At the end of the game some would say Ventnor threw the dice with this team, but ended up being hunted down like a scared fox and took a good whipping, but all in all an enjoyable day.
A special mention to Gareth Gough making his debut and showed some promise, also to the ‘tiny hands of doom’, Andy Teague, who returned to playing after his hospitalisation and finally to Alan Fox, whose nose is still intact!
AJ Wells & Sons Man of the match: Chris Hill
Ventnor Haven Fishery Cod Eye of the Day: Alan Fox
Team: Scott Gough, Ben Gough, Jacobus Stemmet (Capt), Mark Wilson, Stuart Babington, Andy Teague, Chris Hill, Dean Magnurson, Alan Fox, Ross Harris, Gareth Gough, Dan Vyze, Cory Turner, David McCallum, Warren Riches
Image: © Drew Cooper/5063.uk
