Bognor RFC vs Gosport & Fareham RFC

Bognor RFC vs Gosport & Fareham RFC
By Thomas James

Bognor started off the new year away to Gosport, looking to blow off the cobwebs and carbs of Christmas with a win at a notoriously tough away ground.

It was the away side that started off with the momentum and hard carries from the usual suspects Josh Burgess and Chris Webb got Bognor moving. Gosport looked to defend hard off the line, Adam Knight and Adam Groome were mighty in the early stages.

The first score came from Bognor’s young fly-half Jeremy Newton-Young, the defensive line blitzing excellently and the number 10 plucking the egg way above his head. 0-7 conversion good also.

The home side then missed a simple penalty kick to put some pressure back on Bognor. Tom Orchard and James Barlow began to dominate the breakdown and some effective short phases from Barlow gave Bognor room to play out wide.

Billy Toone at 12 was looking fired up with his outside number Sam Newcombe ready to smash as usual. The 13 made a destructive break out wide, something we have become a custom too over the past few seasons; the speedster feeding the clinical Dan Robinson who got his first try of the day. 0-14 conversion good from JNY.

Local scaffolder Jack Hornibrook was constant around the break down and in the defensive line, the scrum-half just needs the long blonde hair and he can start calling himself Faf De Hampshire Klerk. The 9 fed captain Burgess who steamed over from 20 yards to touch down. Another great kick from Thierry Henry, 0-21.

It came as no shock that George Castleton was dominating every 1v1 battle on the pitch, his carrying and tackling were second to none on a day Gosport were looking to disrupt in anyway they could. Bognor had not won a scrum and gave away two penalties in a row at the set piece, Harry Stubbs had a quiet first half and was replaced with Tom James after Stubbs suffered a head injury.

The final score of the first half came from young starlet Paddy Burnett, the aspiring P.E teacher latching onto a great offload from Robbo. Kick no good, 0-26.

Bognor started the second half immensely, great defence in the line-out from Chris Webb and James Barlow made mince meat of the home side’s set piece and saw two of their best players go off injured. Scrums were now uncontested and Bognor saw a clean break through the hands of the backs, Toone feeding Newcombe who busted through a hole and popped to Robinson for his 2nd. 0-33.

Castleton was well in his stride now and turned over brilliantly with the help of back row partner Knight, the number 7 feeding Newcombe who proceeded to assist with ease again; this time to scrummy Hornibrook. Nice kick Jez, 0-40.

Bognor’s back line could taste blood and Robinson was desperate for a hat trick, Hornibrook turned the ball over and supplied the ball to Burgess; the big boy breaking the line and using the support line of Robinson. The 15 securing his hat trick, 0-47 JNY kick.

Josh Riggall was introduced for Billy Toone and the big Centre made an immediate impact with a lovely hit upright and a few naughty penalties... Robinson was loving it out wide and scored again with the help of Newcombe and Burgess. 0-52.

Chris Hay was doing everything but score and the exciting utility back was tackling and running with great conviction, the only thing missing a try. It wouldn’t be a league game if Paddy didn’t get on the score sheet again, the winger running it in with a somewhat smile on his face. 0-59.

Jeremy finished the game off with a precision wide ball to Burnett who scored again to take his record to 16 in 14 games. 0-66.

Gordon Bailey came on and did a stint around the ruck and maul in place of James Barlow. A well needed win for Bognor away at Gosport and the men look forward to a cup tie against Hastings & Bexhill next weekend.

Line-up

1. Christopher Webb
2. Adam Groome
3. Harry Stubbs
4. James Barlow
5. Tom Orchard
6. George Castleton
7. Adam Knight
8. Josh Burgess
9. Jack Hornibrook
10. Jeremy Newton-Young
11. Chris Hay
12. Billy Toone
13. Sam Newcombe
14. Paddy Burnett
15. Dan Robinson
16. Gordon Bailey
17. Tom James
18. Joshua Riggall