Match Report

Portsmouth, having lost the toss and playing down the slope, got proceedings underway. The first Andover lineout was stolen by Sam Foster and there was constant pressure from Portsmouth to secure the first score. However, resolute Andover defence kept the visitors at bay. Portsmouth were camped in the Andover 22 for quite long periods and had several chances to drive over, but too often lost possession at the vital moment, allowing Andover to clear their lines. Eventually it was Andover who scored first, with a break upfield resulting in a passing movement that ended with a try out wide. The conversion was good and they led 7-0 after 30 minutes. That was probably only the 2nd or 3rd time they had got into the Portsmouth 22. A good touch kick gave Portsmouth another good scoring chance, but again they lost possession and a quick break by Andover saw them race upfield. A try was on the cards, but Jay Chatham had other ideas and quickly caught the would-be scorer with a good tackle. By then most of the other players were back in defence and the threat was stopped. The half-time whistle went shortly after with the score still 7-0.

Portsmouth made changes at half time, with all the subs coming on.

Six minutes into the second half Andover, who were now playing down the slope, extended their lead with a converted try, taking the score to 14-0. This was followed shortly after by another try, following an Andover kick downfield which their scrum half collected to score out wide, the bouncing ball going away from the Portsmouth defender. This took the score to 19-0. Next came a rather controversial try when, from a Portsmouth lineout, the Andover No. 8 came through the lineout as the ball was being passed to the scrum half. He intercepted the pass and ran through unopposed, much to the confusion of the players, as it looked as though he had come through from an offside position. The conversion was successful and the score was now 26-0 after 58 minutes.

This seemed to bring to the Portsmouth team the life that had been missing for much of the game. This new urgency was just what was needed, plus the fresh legs of the subs. Their first score came from a scrum drive that saw Ant Fooks cross for a try, which was converted by Gareth Davies on 66 minutes. The score was now 26-7. This was followed shortly after by a score that saw the ball moved across the field, and it was second row Sam Foster who eventually ran behind the posts to finish off the move, giving Gareth Davies an easy conversion. This took the score to 26-14 on 68 minutes. Andover then hit back with a try of their own, taking the score to 33-14. Liam Avis then got in on the scoring spree, probably in celebration of playing in the second row for the first time since he was a colt, and not an experience he wishes to repeat! This took the score to 33-21 following Davies’s conversion. The Portsmouth spectators were beginning to think the impossible might be on, although the clock did seem to be against them. However, from a catch and drive, Portsmouth set up a powerful maul that saw them go over, with skipper Will Rolfe the scorer, and again Davies was on target with the conversion, closing the gap to 33-28. That was the all-important 4th try, which gave us 2 bonus points. Unfortunately, from the restart Andover caught the ball and put it into touch as the referee blew his whistle for full time, with the score 33-28 to Andover.

If only they had played like that for the full 80 minutes, the outcome could have been so different. Instead, for the first 50 minutes they often spilled passes or couldn’t hold on to the ball, and some of the kicking was rather poor at times. There was an occasion when the Andover full back had come up into the line when we were attacking, leaving the back completely open, but no kick from Portsmouth was offered. For the last 30 minutes the whole squad contributed to the scoring run; it was just a case of too little too late, unfortunately. My player of the match was Eric Mottershaw, making his 1st XV debut from last year’s Colts. After a rather tentative start as he got used to the pace of the game, he got better and better. Bearing in mind he has only had 2 training sessions and no pre-match friendlies, he has a good future in front of him. He took good catches in the lineouts and tackled well.

Next week’s opponents are Pulborough, who lost to Trojans 19-36. They are in 9th place, just 1 place above us. They are on 4 points with 1 win and we are in 10th with 3 points. Trojans are top of the league on 10 points, with Basingstoke in second, also on 10 points but with a lower points difference. Andover are now in 5th place, having lost their first game, and are on 6 points.