With typical contrariness, Ventnor 1XV saved their best performance for the last game of the season with a comprehensive victory over an excellent Portsmouth 2nd XV on Saturday (6th April). Following on from an overwhelming win by Ventnor 2nds in the early kick-off, the home side were under notice to turn it on and they responded magnificently with a performance based on power, fitness, teamwork and skill in which every member of the squad had a say in the final outcome which will keep the club’s spirits up as they enter the offseason. This was also the last game for Lewis ‘Jewy’ Jones as captain – a position which he held for the last 5 seasons – and there was no doubt that his team were determined to reward his commitment to the cause with a game to remember. Ventnor started strongly with a powerful series of drives from the Ventnor pack with Ben Savill and Guy Entwistle to the fore. The quick-fire Emile Bleriot got the ball away to Fergus Kenny who brought Ben Cooper and Sam Lines into play for Jake Babington to fly in the corner. With the scrum and line-out working well, the Islanders were able to keep up the pressure and a sublime kick-ahead by Lines and a follow up by Fred Fairman caused chaos in the Portsmouth defence. Ventnor’s forwards arrived en masse and Guy Entwistle powered over. Ed Blake converted and the lead was extended to twelve points. Portsmouth came back after a penalty resulting in the home team putting themselves into peril by trying to run from under their own posts. The ball was turned over and the visitors scored a converted try to bring the score back to 12 – 7 to set the nerves jangling among the packed crowd. 
Elsewhere at Watcombe Bottom, Ventnor’s 2nd XV also welcomed Portsmouth (2nd). Portsmouth’s 3rd XV travelled to Ventnor for the final game of the season – a game which would ultimately decide whether the Ventnor Lions squad would take home a silver or a bronze medal in their league. The boys were leaving nothing to chance and a mighty twenty-six man squad was put forward to do battle with Portsmouth. The scene was set with the final words of wisdom from Coach Neil Evans ringing in their ears and the boys then stormed out the changing room, into the sunshine and onto the field of play. From kick off, the Ventnor Lions looked sharp, finally finding that perfect form they had been chasing all season and after just two phases from the kick off Steve Maskell made a line break handing off two players and scoring an impressive opening try. After the next kick, Jimmy Excell caught the ball and bulldozed his way through a sea of Portsmouth players – breaking his nose in the process. However this didn’t put the hooker off as he was there to do a job. James Morley received the ball off the next ruck smashing through two defenders and making big ground from which Ventnor received a penalty for a high tackle. The home team chose to scrum on the five metre line. Gary Ball knew exactly what to do and the 940kg pack to duly drove the Portsmouth pack over the line and Will Broomfield dropped onto the ball to score his first try of the day. It was a pattern for the match – the forward pack were unrivalled all game. Skipper Jack Rushton took his moment, scoring a try from ten yards out with the assistance of the newly crowned flyhalf Harry Ottley. This wouldn’t be Harry’s last assist as he featured heavily throughout the game and is one to watch for future. Ross Harris, the resident superstar scrumhalf, realised the forwards had been involved in some heavy contact, with the likes of Harry Colson and James Pemberton putting in huge tackles and demoralising Portsmouth’s pack with strong runs. Therefore he decided to switch the game up and started taking any opportunity to deploy Ventnor’s impressive back line. Gavin Davis was uncompromising in attack and scored two tries in quick succession, proving he still has the magic touch and is unstoppable ball in hand. Dan Muir – not wanting to be out shone by his counterpart – then found a gap in Portsmouth’s line and made a run from the half way line scoring a sensational try. Coach Neil saw that Portsmouth were starting to wither under the constant pressure from this Ventnor Lions squad, but this was a key match and he needed to be ruthless and keep the pressure on: so it was time for bomb squad! Chris Skelly, James Green, Brad Francis, Dean Magnurson and Nathan Frampton came into the forwards and, with that many fresh legs on at once, the impact was decisive with the pack working as one they crashed through the Portsmouth lines again and again until Chris Skelly found a gap and run through to defenders like a charging bull leaving a sea of defenders in his wake and scoring a try. Bob Parker saw his opportunity straight off the next kick off and ran like a winger side stepping several defenders and making it all the way to the 5 metre line before they finally brought the uncompromising front rower down. However, he didn’t suffer with white line fever and shipped the ball out to Will Bloomfield who bulldozed his way over the line and collected his second try of the day. Layton Greatorex (the sports reporter’s darling) wasn’t going to be left out he received fast ball from Ottley and stormed through the Portsmouth defence and scored an epic try. It was time for the back line to make some substitutions with Ewan Castle, Dylan Gray, Olly Wood and Jack Gilbey all coming on and they didn’t fail to disappoint as they made quick work of the opposition’s back line and set up Alan Fox to get a try in what Is rumoured to be his retirement game. Henrik Brown also took to the field for his debut at Watcombe but sportingly in Portsmouth colours since the battering the visitors were taking was beginning to take its toll. Neil Evans decided it was time for him to show he could walk the walk as well as talk the talk and he put himself in the centres with Greatorex. The deadly duo made easy work of the defensive line and Neil run in his first try in a Ventnor shirt. In the dying minutes of the game Portsmouth began throwing everything at Ventnor so Tristan Price was brought on to steady the ship and – with his experience in the set piece – managed to keep the pack from losing their collective concentration. Warren Ritches did the same for the backs not only slotting eight conversions but also marshalling Ventnor’s excellent defence so the score ended a decisive 75-0. This comprehensive victory means that Ventnor’s 2nd XV secured the runners up position in Hampshire League 5 which is enormous credit to the squad, Jack Rushton’s leadership and the number of recruits that have joined the club over the last year or more. Try scorers
- (C) Jack Rushton
- Neil Evans
- William Broomfield – 2
- Steve Maskell
- Alan Fox
- Gavin Davis – 2
- Chris Skelly
- Layton Greatorex
- Dan Muir
Conversions
- Warren Ritches – 8
- Dan Muir
- Harry Colson
Team: Rushton (capt), Excell, Ball, Parker, Morley, Pemberton, Colson, Broomfield, Harris, Ottley, G.Davis, Greatorex, Maskell, Muir, W.Riches Subs: Skelley, Francis, Castle, Gilbey, D.Magnurson, Gray, Green, Frampton, Wood, Brown The A J Wells Men of the Match: Harry Ottley The Red Funnel Moment of the Match: Layton Greatorex
