Results
Sat 18 Apr 2026
0 – 0
HOMEWALKOVER
Match Report
This was supposed to be the penultimate League game of the season but a phone call on Thursday changed all that. DoR Jason Cracknell was advised that Sandown were down to 11 players and struggling to get a side together. It was eventually agreed that we could lend them players to make up the shortfall and thus play the game as a friendly. Portsmouth would pick up 5 points regardless of the result. Portsmouth were keen to play as their last fixture next week was against Chichester and they wanted to put right the results of the previous 2 games.
In the event, Sandown arrived with 14 players so they lent them spare players as the Portsmouth Vets game against Sandown had also been cancelled, so the game could go ahead as a friendly.
Portsmouth were also short of regular players with 2 centres, a prop, and a winger missing through work and injury.
The first half saw plenty of action from the home side with the first try scored by Oli Avis converted by Gareth Davies, 7-0. Henry Brown was next to score taking the score to 12-0. Sandown then scored their first try making the score 12-5. Jay Chatham then scored the first of his brace of tries, converted by Gareth Davies, 19-5. Alex Buck was next on the score sheet making the score 24-5. Matt Pilbeam then scored the first of his brace converted by Gareth Davies, 31-5 and this was quickly followed with his second also converted by Davies, 38-5. That try saw the end of the first half.
The second half saw lots of changes to both sides and that rather altered the flow of the game. Portsmouth scored first through Sam Floyd converted by Davies, 45-5 followed by Greg Hoolihan, 50-5. Jay Chatham scored his second as the game drew to its conclusion, 57-5 with Sandown scoring as the game ended, making the final score 57 -10.
So 5 points on the bag for Portsmouth but they then heard that Bognor had beaten Chichester in a high scoring game 41- 51, Millbrook beat Gosport & Fareham 38-32 and Basingstoke beat Winchester 2nds 62-12. At present the league table is Bognor top on 83 points, Portsmouth second on 81 points and Basingstoke third on 77 points. Next week sees Portsmouth play Chichester at Rugby Camp, Bognor play Millbrook at home and Basingstoke play away to Bournemouth 2nds.who beat Andover away 39-41
TEAM
JOE BENNETTS, BRAD ATKINS, LIAM AVIS
SAM FOSTER(C), BRYN RAINFORD
ALEX BUCK, SAM FLOYD, ANT FOOKS
DOM VUGLER, GARETH DAVIES
JAY CHATHAM, OLI AVIS, HENRY BROWN, MATT PILBEAM
MATT HIGGINS
BENCH
GREG HOOLIHAN, ELLIOTT WORRALL, TOM WHITEHOUSE, GREG HOOLIHAN, JOHN NICHOLLS