Results

Counties 1 Hampshire Results

Sat 29 Nov 2025, 14:00

Portsmouth RFC

36 – 15

(HT 26-3)

Gosport & Fareham RFC Ltd

Portsmouth RFC

Substitutes

Gosport & Fareham RFC Ltd

  • 15
    Taylor
  • 14
    Grice
  • 13
    Holling
  • 12
    York
  • 11
    Headley
  • 10
    Mcroberts
  • 9
    Gee
  • 1
    Carter
  • 2
    Snowden
  • 3
    Poole
  • 4
    Jelley
  • 5
    Hill
  • 6
    Hughes
  • 7
    Rodelana
  • 8
    Trivett

Substitutes

  • 16
    Woodside
  • 17
    Stanbury
  • 18
    Lloyd

Match Report

The day was preceded by a Former Players Lunch which boosted the spectators on what was a rather wet and cold day to start with but fortunately the weather cleared by the time of kick off.

Gosport got proceedings underway and Portsmouth were straight into attack mode. After Gosport had given a couple of penalties away Portsmouth got clean ball from a line out and Tom Whitehouse, playing at 6, broke with the ball before linking with the backs. The ball eventually found its way to Matt Higgins, who had joined from fullback and with a good turn of speed he crossed the line to score out wide. Gareth Davies conversion hit the upright but bounced back into play so the score was 5-0 after 5 minutes. Shortly after this score Gosport were awarded a penalty which they duly converted taking the score to 5-3 on 10 minutes.

Gosport then lost their open side to a red card for stamping on a Portsmouth players’ hand. This was followed shortly after by a yellow card to a Gosport player for a no arms tackle on the Portsmouth scrum half. Portsmouth were in a pretty dominant mood and this saw 2 tries scored within 5 minutes of each other. The first was by winger Callum Grahamslaw who finished off a good 3’s move when he ran round his opposite number and scored close to the posts. Gareth Davies was on target with the conversion and the lead was now 12-3. The next try was from a penalty awarded to Portsmouth and taken quickly by Gareth Davies who shot through to score close to the posts, he converted his try and the score was now 19-3 with about 30 minutes gone.

As half time approached, Portsmouth were awarded a scrum and the ball was quickly spun to the 3’s who set up a good move which finished with Callum Grahamslaw racing through from just inside the half way line to score close to the posts, again Gareth Davies was on target and the score was now 26-3 as half time approached. This was Callum’s second score and Portsmouth’s 4th try giving them a vital bonus point. The half time whistle went shortly after.

Portsmouth got the second half underway and were soon on the attack again but it took 8 minutes to get the score board moving, this time for a penalty against the visitors. Gareth Davies was again on target and the lead was now 29-3. It looked to all intents and purpose that Callum Grahamslaw had scored his 3rd try when he took the ball around the halfway line and raced down the touch line, breaking 2 or 3 tackles on his way to score. But the Gosport touch judge had put his flag up for a foot in touch, the Portsmouth spectators on that side were adamant that he was 6″ inside the touch line but the ref had no option but to take the touch judges decision and the score was ruled out. So the score still stood at 29-3.

Gosport had been pressing the try line for periods of the second half but the Portsmouth defence held firm but eventually they did manage to find a gap and scored close to the posts. The try was converted and the score was now 29-10. Portsmouth, after defending for periods in the second half, finally broke free and Leo Wall took the final pass from around the Gosport 22 and breaking couple of tackles, he scored between the posts and the touchline. Davies was on target and the score was now 36-10.

Gosport did manage to get the final score from a 3’s move in which they broke through the Portsmouth defence to score their 3rd, try, taking the final score to 36-15. The final whistle went as the ball missed the posts.

The second half was rather disappointing after the dominance shown in the first half and they did seem to loose focus on occasions. They will need to sharpen up next week with a trip to Basingstoke who are currently in 3rd place on 31 points. Portsmouth have now moved up to 4th place on 28 points after today’s win. So next week promises to be a very hard game but one that they are capable of winning if they can produce the performance they are capable of.

TEAM
ALEX BUCK, BRAD ATKINS, LIAM AVIS
SAM FOSTER(C), TOBY WILSON
TOM WHITEHOUSE, SAM FLOYD, ANT FOOKS
DOM VUGLAR, GARETH DAVIES
JAY CHATHAM, SAM OLIE, LEO WALL, CALLIUM GRAHAMSLAW
MATT HIGGINS

BENCH
LEE CHANDLER, HENRI DAVIES, DOM BOURNE