Sandown & Shanklin 2nd XV lose on the road in close battle

The Hurricanes lose to Kingsclere RFC, 15-12 the final outcome.

For the final fixture of the season for the Hurricanes 2nd XV travelled to North Hampshire to take on Kingsclere RFC. The sun was out and the clouds were holding back, providing perfect conditions for the last game of the season.

The Hurricanes started off strong with some slick handling and an awesome jinking run from first time fullback Cameron Mitchell. Supporting runners were lacking but after some good clearing out by the backs and forwards alike the ball was again shipped down the line where it found itself with the youngest player on the side, Damian Seder, who went on a storming run, hand-offs a plenty, pulling Sandown & Shanklin into the opposition's 22. The ball was well recycled all day from the forwards which gave Captain Liam Little a clear setting to give good service to the out half Michael Barrett. Barrett's distribution soon found the stealthy Mitchell 15 on the ball again going at pace and he was soon across the line for the Hurricanes first points. An unmissable drop goal to add the extras was well taken by No8 for-the-day Samuel 'the bear' Flux, 0 - 7.
The visitors, however, were soon on defensive duty and with almost every player making a crucial tackle, it proving formidable and very difficult to unpick for the hosts. Man of the Match Dan Sayers making some thunderous hits around the breakdown. Although, the opposition scrum half, had other ideas and saw a mismatch in the defence and managed to squeeze in between two front rowers for the home sides first points, the conversion was missed, 5 - 7. Shortly after Sandown & Shanklin RFC were pinned back again and with some below par handling and poor decision making when penalties arose to clear the lines, they conceded again before the break, after what appeared to be a Kingsclere knock on 10 - 7.

After refreshments and re-start the game began to bubble up and boil over with the home team receiving two yellow cards in the third quarter of the game. This still wasn't enough to prevent Kingsclere from scoring their third of the game and to increase their winning margin, 15 - 7. With Sandown & Shanklin looking to attack from deep, they couldn't not get meaningful territory to convert their the champagne rugby that the boys were playing. With time slipping away, and with possession in the opposition 22, man mountain Flux barrelled through defenders and over the try line, after taking a quick tap penalty to add a second Hurricanes try. The conversion missed it narrowed up the margin with barely five minutes remaining of the game. With the clock counting down the hosts managed hold on to the victory. to pull a late try out of the bag and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat leaving the score at 15 - 12, although the hurricanes did play some champagne rugby. What a game to end the season.