The Hurricanes hit 41 points before the Tornados completed a winning Saturday (3rd October) with a dramatic triumph at Bognor.
HURRIES TURN ON THE STYLE AT THE FAIRWAY
Sandown & Shanklin 1st XV marked their first home fixture of the season with an impressive attacking display as they swept aside Millbrook 41-10 at the Fairway.
The Hurries struck first following a quick lineout. Tommy Scourfield fed Michael Barrett, who broke the defensive line before finding Tom Marriott, with the ball then moved through Rob Eston to Owen Williams.
Williams was stopped agonisingly short, but captain Hugo Jolliffe picked and went from the resulting ruck to cross for the opening try.
Hristo Hristov was next on the scoresheet after returning Harry Hopper secured possession from a lineout just 10 metres out. The Hurries formed a powerful driving maul, controlled by Hristov at the back, and marched over the line to double their advantage.
Hristov was also a major presence at scrum time as Sandown & Shanklin established a strong platform at the set piece.
Millbrook responded in unusual circumstances when a loose miss-pass ricocheted off the knee of their outside centre and beyond the home defence, allowing the visitors to capitalise with a converted try.
The Hurries hit straight back. Scourfield’s restart was brilliantly claimed by Matthew Miselbach, who beat 2 defenders and drew another 2 before releasing Jack Wedderkop to finish in the corner.
A Millbrook penalty shortly before the interval left just 5 points between the sides.
Half Time: Sandown & Shanklin 15-10 Millbrook
Any prospect of a close 2nd half quickly disappeared as the Hurries emerged from the interval with renewed attacking intent.
After winning a penalty deep inside the Millbrook 22, Sandown & Shanklin turned down the opportunity to kick at goal and instead went quickly. The ball was worked through the forward pods before Lewis Murray powered over for his first try in Hurries colours.
Scourfield added another following a dangerous counter-attack. Wedderkop raced down the wing and chipped ahead, with Zak Chiverton reacting quickest when Millbrook hacked the ball clear. Chiverton gathered and fired a superb pass to Scourfield, who danced through the broken defence before brushing aside the final defender to score.
The home pack continued to provide the foundations, with Sam Rees and Luke Hunter prominent around the field, while the introduction of Alex Smith brought another injection of power.
Smith’s quick tap penalty put Millbrook on the back foot and, after the ball was rapidly recycled, Chiverton hit an excellent line through the defence before powering underneath the posts.
Ben Kulik also made a strong impact from the bench as Sandown & Shanklin continued to pile on the pressure.
The best was saved until last as the Hurries produced a superb end-to-end move.
Miselbach collected the restart before Smith committed 2 defenders and released Jolliffe, whose 25-metre carry took the hosts beyond halfway. Scourfield produced an excellent out-the-back offload to Miselbach and the ball was swept through Chiverton, Williams and Hopper as Millbrook struggled to contain the attack.
After another quick recycle, Miselbach fired a flat pass to Eston, who raced through underneath the posts to complete an outstanding team try and put the finishing touch to an emphatic home victory.
Full Time: Sandown & Shanklin 41-10 Millbrook
TORNADOS STRIKE LATE TO STUN BOGNOR
Sandown & Shanklin Tornados completed a superb Saturday for the club by snatching a dramatic 19-14 victory at Bognor on their first away trip of the season.
The 2nd XV travelled to what had proved their toughest away fixture of the previous season with injuries forcing late changes, although the returns of Damian Seder, Tom Sewell and Sam Thomas helped the visitors take a full 20-man squad.
Led by captain Chris Ormerod, the Tornados stood up impressively to the physical Bognor pack. Keegan Boudier, Joe Bussell and Jordan Langdon produced some dominant tackles, while Ash Smith, Will Hatch and Charles Little made crucial last-ditch interventions as the opening half-hour remained scoreless.
The breakthrough came from the forwards, who turned over a Bognor scrum inside the Tornados’ own 22. Quick hands released winger Flash Smith, who left the home defence trailing before touching down beneath the posts. The conversion was missed.
Having already held Bognor up over their own line earlier in the half, the visitors protected their slender advantage through to the interval.
Half Time: Bognor 0-5 Sandown & Shanklin Tornados
Joe Pettifer added fresh power from the bench after the restart, while Seder and Sam Thomas helped the visitors secure their own lineout possession and occasionally pinch Bognor ball.
The Tornados’ forward power produced the 2nd try. Bussell was halted inches short of the line but managed to pop the ball to Seder, who finished the move, with Charles Little converting to stretch the advantage to 12-0.
Bognor refused to buckle. The hosts responded with a converted try and, although 2 missed penalties kept the Tornados ahead, a succession of injuries began to take its toll on the visitors.
With around 15 minutes remaining, Bognor broke through to score beneath the posts and the conversion suddenly turned a 12-point deficit into a 14-12 lead.
The momentum appeared to have swung towards the home side, but the Tornados had one final surge left in them.
Scrum-half Theo McCann’s distribution and Charles Little’s game management helped drive Sandown & Shanklin back towards the Bognor line as the visitors attacked weaker shoulders in the home defence.
With Langdon taking possession around 10 metres out, co-captain Liam Little latched onto him and helped propel the forward through the initial contact. That left Langdon one-on-one with the Bognor full-back, who could not match his power as he crashed over for the match-winning try.
Charles Little added the conversion and the Tornados held on to complete an outstanding victory on the road.
Full Time: Bognor 14-19 Sandown & Shanklin Tornados
Man of the Match: Damian Seder.
The Tornados return to the Fairway on Saturday 10th October when they face New Milton 2nd XV.
