Nolan shares this latest report from Ventnor RFC. Ed
Isle of Wight 1st XV 22-10 Ventnor 1st XV
With three games left, Ventnor need to pick up some points, any points, to ensure safety. On Saturday with a minute to go it looked like a bonus point was there to be had, but once again Lady Luck was not with them and a last minute try robbed them.
Ventnor turned up determined to show the Isle of Wight (IW) that they deserved to be in this league and their grit and fight set them off early with a intercepted try from Sam Lines. The wind (a massive factor in the game) meant Captain Andy Gough missed the conversation. IW came back strong and were 17.5 up against the wind at half time.
Put up a good fight
The second half saw Ventnor fighting to stay in the game, but as the wind picked up it was almost impossible to find touch.
Gough tackled relentlessly and Ventnor grew in confidence. After a bizarre series of refereeing decisions Ventnor scored as Sam Pickard scored, just reward for the performance he had put in.
Season plagued by injury
Ventnor were in the ascendance, but bad luck strikes at the most inopportune moment, Fergus Kenny who was back for his third game since breaking his arm in the first game of the season, broke it again! In a season plagued by injury, it was awful. Then came the second heartbreak when IW broke through to score.
Ventnor, home to Sandown and Shanklin in another derby on Saturday, are desperate for Riches, Berry, Gilbert and Marriott to return and stay fit for the last game away at Ellingham and Ringwood.
Squad: Dawson, Tucker, Price, Morley, Savill, Jones, Pickard, Clarke, Gough, Lines, Babington, Urbonas, Turner, Dobbas, Gilbert, Pratt, Kenny, Ward, Blow
AJ Wells & Sons Man of the Match: Sam Pickard
Ventnor Haven Fishery Cod Eye of the Day: Jake Babington
Away in Portsmouth
A handful of 2nd XV players joined up with a number of Andover players to take on a strong Portsmouth 4th XV away in Portsmouth.
The Portsmouth team ran out winners, but the combined Ventnor/Andover team managed to put four tries past them. The result was irrelevant with the emphasis on ensuring that the 2nd XV continued to play games and keep building on the squad with regular rugby.
