Hinds XV Match Report
Solent University 33 - Andover 27 - Reports Andy Franklin
On Saturday Andover RFC Hinds XV travelled to Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh via numerous locations in Southampton to take on table toppers Solent University in Hampshire Merit One.
Due to the delay in arriving, the warm up was swift and Andover were near enough straight into action. After a good opening five minutes it was obvious that the Hinds were still on the proverbial coach. The Solent team were young and athletic in the loose, together with some very good individuals who worked some good lines of running to crash over out on the right.
The Hinds were able to regroup under the posts and restarted out to the right. With the wind in their faces and an uphill slope, the team started to gel and some excellent forward runs by the ever young Lloyd Heggie, captain for the day Aaron Styles and number 8 Matt Ball, saw Andover set up an excellent attacking position to release the youthful backs. Jake Kane passed to the exciting Jack Stott who skilfully made space for young full back Jonny Rogers to go over in the corner.
This gave Andover the belief that they could compete with the Merit Table Champions in waiting and from the restart, momentum once again went with the visiting team. Matt Moore carried well and with the front row arriving at the break down late (as expected), Craig Allen and Marc Chillek took the ball forward in the next wave of the attack. The opposition could not handle the forward domination from the Hinds which led to a penalty 5 metres out from the try line. Andy Franklin tapped quickly and timed a pass to find Rob Sutherland juggernauting towards the line, crashing through the scrambling defence to make the score 10-5 to the visitors.
The home team rallied just before half time and with Jack Stott retiring from the field with injury, Joby Shearing took to the field. This prompted a reorganisation and during the closing stages of the half Andover let the opposition cross the line with a remarkably good try by a skinny look-a-like of Andy Dawkins, morphed into the number 2 shirt of Solent University. Half Time score Solent University 12-Andover 10.
From the restart, Andover continued taking the game to the home team and with the line out not functioning all day, changed tactics using Lloyd Heggie up the tram lines to great effect. Stott came back on to the field of play after Henry ''screams like a Girl'' Smith was carried off the field of play with an ankle injury. From the restarted scrum, the backs were released and a crash ball up the middle by Jody Morgan made space for a second wave of backs to carve through the opposition defence feeding Matt Snell to go over wide right.
Domination in the scrum led to the fourth try, with a push over touched down somehow by skipper Styles. A magical fifty yard charge from the impressive Matt Ball, put the backs on the front foot. Once again Kane fed Stott and a touch of individual class saw him touch down unopposed under the posts. Franklin converted to extend the lead to 15 points.
Then came the famous Andover self-destruct. With game all but out of reach of the Merit table leaders the Hinds became too complacent and the champagne rugby backfired, seeing Solent scoring twice in succession against the run of play. This led to a frantic last ten minutes where both teams were battling for the honours and only an Andover missed tackle in midfield led to Solent snatching the win from an inspired Andover display.
ScorersTries: Rogers, Sutherland, Snell, Styles, Stott
Cons: Franklin
Pen: