Harte hat-trick sinks Rosslyn Park - Report by Paddy McAlpine

Harte hat-trick for Chi 2s sinks Rosslyn Park - Report by Paddy McAlpine

Chichester 2s traveled away on Saturday to Rosslyn Park, one of the great names of the pre professional rugby era, and ground out another win to keep them in the race for the Zoo Shield South Division 3 title and promotion. With injuries, illnesses and unforeseen absences once again ripping through the ranks of the Chichester 1st XV, a number of the 2s' regulars stepped up and into the breach for the Blue and Blue cause. As a result, Rosslyn Park faced a 2s team that were introducing themselves to each other on the paddock during the warm up session. They welcomed back Jack Davies at Out-half and winger Will Hunter from university as well as calling up Brad Hughes, James Sandy, Luke Kemish and Sam Randlesome from the 3s. The Seaford college youngsters - Ollie Gatland, Will Norton and Charlie Arden-Brown - once again played a big part in securing victory. Having lost their starting front row, Chi requested the game start with uncontested scrums; not how one would wish to play the game but it clearly gave the younger, lighter Chi side an advantage. The Rosslyn Park front five were a big, well drilled and highly skilled unit ,which dominated much of the breakdown and the early line outs. With Chi under committing at the breakdown, Rosslyn Park took control and scored a good first try, which went unconverted. The omens did not look good for the Chi make shift team until they finally got some possession and Dean Morris, playing at Inside Centre rather than his customary role at full back, broke the line at pace and put winger Lewis Harte in enough space to pile on the gas and score the first of his 3 well taken tries. This was followed up by more possession and, this time, a great break by Toby Golds, playing outside centre for the first time in many years, offloaded to Tom Blewitt who then ghosted past the Rosslyn Park defence to score. Once Morris converted, it looked as if Chi were going to comfortably settle into the game. However, too many mistakes kept Rosslyn Park in the game and they came back to lead 15-12 at the break. The second half started tensely and after a period of Herculean defence and body bruising commitment on their own line, Harte notched up another classic winger's try, which was almost immediately matched by Rosslyn Park. At 20-17 down, the 2s knew they were one try away from a win and a try scoring bonus point. Liam O'Hagan who had been running his usual quality lines all day, started to dominate from the back of the scrum and led the Rosslyn Park back row a merry dance. He either got behind their defence or put firstly Jimmy Taylor, then Arden-Brown at scrum half into enough space to launch the back line at a brave Rosslyn Park defence. By this stage, Harte was eager for more trade and scorched in for Chichester's important 4th try, which Morris converted for the 2s to lead 20-24. The game then entered period of repeated delays in the action with injuries to both teams halting any sort of momentum. It became extremely tense, particularly when a perfectly well taken penalty conversion by Morris was controversially not awarded. Hard tackling, total commitment, some great turnovers during a scoreless and seemingly endless, 38 minutes ultimately forced the mistake by Rosslyn Park and Will Hunter came off his winger to burst past the scrambling defence. He kicked the fumbled ball, which popped up just in time for him to score beneath the posts. Morris converted and this much changed Chi 2s team walked off a famous rugby pitch with an important 20-31 victory and 5 points. The Blue and Blue march on.

Team: Sandy, Gatland, Hughes, Stride, Wright, O' Callaghan, Randlesome, O'Hagan, Kemish, Norton, Taylor, J Davies, Harte, Morris, Golds, Hunter, Blewitt, Arden-Brown.

Scores: Tries - Harte 3, Blewitt, Humter. Conversions - Morris 3