Fordingbridge 16 - Ellingham and Ringwood 37

We got off to a blistering start in our local derby with Fordingbridge in the Hampshire Premiership when our prop forward Adam Payne drove over in the second minute of the game to get his first try of the season from a fine driving maul from a well worked line out. Fordingbridge fought back and due to some ill-discipline from us, they kicked a penalty to reduce the deficit. Our wing three quarter Will Jenkins (pictured) then scored a good try when, following some good work from our forwards he ran from deep, cut through the defence and dived over for a try which our other wing three quarter Chris Frost converted. Fordingbridge fought back again and we gave away two further penalties but only one was kicked. We then came back strongly and from another driving maul from a line out our hooker David Budd drove over for his first try of the season to give us a 17-6 lead at the break.

Fordingbridge missed an early chance to reduce the deficit at the start of the second half when they missed another penalty kick. Our backs then raced up the pitch and were stopped illegally short of the line, so the referee awarded us a penalty try. Fordingbridge then put us under some sustained pressure and scored a well worked try, but Will Jenkins increased our lead again with his second try of the game which our fly half Greg Thew converted. Some more ill-discipline from us resulted in two yellow cards in quick succession. Fordingbridge took advantage of their two extra players and their full back Peter Davies dived over in the corner. There was then some good game management from our captain and scrum half Henry Benson that led to Greg Thew kicking two further penalties to give us a 37-16 victory that keeps us second in the league.