VENTNOR RFC SLUMP TO DEFEAT AGAINST STRONG ROMSEY SIDE

After their excellent win the previous week, Ventnor’s 1st XV travelled with a few enforced changes and lost out to an excellent Romsey side who used the blustery conditions to the full. Ventnor started strongly with the returning Guy Entwistle setting the tone with a clattering tackle on the Romsey catcher and some great pressure from skipper Ben Savill and Will Harrison. However, it was Romsey’s slick back play that had the first impact on the scoreboard with a try from the left winger under the posts. Somehow Layton Greatorex charged down the subsequent conversion! To demonstrate the Islander’s hunger for the battle, a terrific catch and run from debutant Josh Rettie, with support from Fred Fairman, made ground up the left. But again, luck was not with Ventnor, as the ball went loose and Romsey scored again with some tremendous inter-passing. Ventnor’s enthusiasm was counting against them as the referee had to have a word with Savill about his team’s sometimes wayward tackling. The subsequent penalties allowed Romsey to make ground up the left with some excellent touch finders and from a subsequent line-out they scored a 3rd try. Entwistle saw yellow for a dump tackle and while he was off, the ebullient Charlie Magnurson was hurt. With 2 men down, Romsey were able to score a 4th try. Magnurson had to leave the field and James Green came on. After a couple of years on the sidelines, Green has been quickly getting back to his best form, and his intelligent link play and clean-out ability at the rucks was very evident. With half-time approaching, Ventnor were determined not to concede again in the knowledge that the wind advantage in the 2nd half was worth the 20-point deficit, and Ed Blake pulled off a remarkable try-saver by dispossessing Romsey’s winger in the art of scoring. But from the line-out, Romsey did get over for a try despite a forward pass in the move and Grant Richardson taking a bang in the face. Halftime arrived with Ventnor down by 27 points. The powerful Richardson was unable to continue so ever-improving Callum Martin came on. This meant Fairman going into the back row with Andy Teague and Entwistle – the latter, the only original member of the trio. With this shuffling of personnel and Romsey’s influx of replacements, the home team were able to notch up another 4 tries in the half, but Ventnor had something to prove and scored 2 excellent tries of their own. The 1st was initiated deep in their half, from where Greatorex kicked for territory, and the tireless George Collett and Entwistle secured the ball for Blake to force himself over the line. Then, another kick from Sam Lines caused panic in the home team’s 22. Joel Cocks followed up, and the ball was secured for Jason Coltham and Green to make ground before the A.J.Wells man-of-the-match Ben Souter jinked over. Full time: Romsey 58-10 Ventnor Ventnor: Richardson, Collett, Harrison, Teague, Coltham, Savill (capt), Entwistle, C.Magnurson, Souter, Lines, E.Blake, Greatorex, Cocks, Fairman, Rettie Subs: Green, Martin Coaches: Jason Evans and Clive Cardwell-Hill Physio: Sarah Watt The A.J.Wells Man of the Match: Ben Souter The Red Funnel Moment of the Match: Joel Cocks Next Saturday (27th January), both Ventnor 1sts and 2nds are at home against Christchurch 1sts and 2nds.