Ventnor RFC 2nd XV showed resilience and promise despite adversity as they went down away to Fawley RFC 2nd XV in the Hampshire Premiership.
With skipper Jack Rushton once again on 1st XV duty, Warren Riches stepped up to captain a strong Ventnor side for the trip across the Solent. Fawley, mindful of their narrow defeat at Ventnor earlier in the season, were keen to exact revenge.
Preparations were far from ideal. Late withdrawals prompted a flurry of last-minute phone calls while the squad waited to board the Red Jet, and a delayed crossing caused by poor visibility meant the hastily assembled reinforcements were only just able to join up. On arrival, Ventnor had barely 30 minutes to prepare.
The opening exchanges were cautious, with both sides feeling each other out and the referee keen to stamp authority early. The match remained scoreless for the first 20 minutes, but Ventnor’s task became significantly harder when Ed Blake was shown a red card after reacting to a yellow card for dissent.
Despite the setback, the Ventnor pack stood firm. The front row of Iain Reeves, Henrik Brown and Grant Richardson held their own in disrupted scrummaging exchanges, supported well by Sean Frampton and Ewan Castle in the engine room. In a reshuffled back row, Will Broomfield at number 8, alongside flankers Cory Turner and Cody Hayman, worked tirelessly, with Broomfield and Frampton making strong carries.
Fawley eventually broke the deadlock in the 19th minute, securing quick ball from an unpenalised scrum and exploiting space out wide to score. A second try soon followed after sustained pressure close to the posts, giving the hosts a 12–0 lead.
After the temporary red card period elapsed, Josh Ford entered at fly-half, with Harry Otley moving to inside centre and Hayden Lythgoe coming into midfield. With Ben Souter providing sharp service from scrum-half, Ventnor’s backs began to make inroads, repeatedly getting over the gain line. However, promising moves often broke down through handling errors or turnovers at the breakdown.
Ventnor were unfortunate to concede again shortly before the interval, some missed tackles allowing Fawley to exploit space out wide. A fine long-range conversion gave the hosts a commanding advantage at the break.
Half Time: Fawley RFC 2nd XV 19 – 0 Ventnor RFC 2nd XV
Any hopes of a strong restart were dented when Ventnor knocked on from the kick-off, gifting Fawley field position. A jinking run from the home centre resulted in another try, although the conversion was missed, extending the lead further.
To their credit, Ventnor responded superbly. For the next 20 minutes they dominated possession and territory, with wingers Luke Starkey and Ollie Wood brought into play following good midfield work from Ford, Lythgoe and Otley. Riches was also assured under the high ball, dealing confidently with a barrage of up-and-unders.
Castle was forced off injured, allowing Callum Martin to enter the fray, with positional reshuffles seeing Broomfield move into the second row and Hayman slot in at number 8. Sustained Ventnor pressure resulted in a yellow card for Fawley, and the visitors capitalised immediately. Excellent ball retention and support play saw Broomfield power over for a deserved try, converted by Ford – with the assistance of the woodwork.
Further drama followed as Fawley thought they had scored from a short line-out drive, only for the effort to be ruled out for “bad attitude”. It proved only a temporary reprieve, however, as the hosts soon crossed again from another short line-out.
Fawley were then reduced to 14 men following a red card, and Ventnor again took advantage. A failed clearance found Ford in space, and some clever footwork put Grant Richardson over for a well-earned try to complete the scoring.
Full time: Fawley RFC 2nd XV 29 – 12 Ventnor RFC 2nd XV
Despite defeat, Ventnor will take plenty of positives. Disrupted preparation, travel delays and constant reshuffling failed to dent their spirit, and as confidence grew in the second half, their handling and continuity were impressive. They now look forward to welcoming Tottonians to the Memorial Ground on 20th December.
Ventnor squad: Ed Blake, Henrik Brown, Will Broomfield, Ewan Castle, Josh Ford, Dylan Gray, Sean Frampton, Cody Hayman, Hayden Lythgoe, Callum Martin, Harry Otley, Warren Riches (capt), Iain Reeves, Grant Richardson, Ben Souter, Luke Starkey, Blake Tombleson, Cory Turner, Ollie Wood.
A.J. Wells Man of the Match: Grant Richardson
Red Funnel Moment: Ed Blake (for not making the referee’s Christmas card list)
Physio & First Aid: Sarah Watt
Coach & Scribe: Clive Cardwell Hill
