Shellshocked by The Big Guns
05 Dec 09 Havant Mariners 33 v 5 Petersfield Vet's
Petersfield players and supporters made the short journey to Hooks Lane with high hopes and expectations of capturing the John Sneezum Trophy on Saturday and having played some exciting running rugby in the preliminary rounds their hopes were not unfounded, unfortunately the Mariners had other ides. It was very clear from the opening exchanges that the home side had done their homework and developed a game plan that would stifle any of the free running open play that Petersfield had enjoyed all season.
Masterfully orchestrated by the halfbacks, Santini and Jones, Havant focused on the 9-10 channel running hard and true at the Petersfield defence and it was through these two very experienced players that the Mariners quickly established a 13-0 lead. Good ball provided by the strong rucking and mauling pack allowed the Havant half backs to pick their angles and bring players on to the ball at pace and this coupled with some unusually weak tackling around the fringes led to two early tries and a penalty. With parity in the set scrum and an edge in the lineout Petersfield tried manfully to free up ball for the fast backs but a few handling errors and excellent pressure at the breakdown by the home side kept the score board in the home sides favour as the half time whistle blew.
Despite the pressure they had been put under and the inability to string together more than two phases of play the Field boys felt confident at the half time huddle, they knew they were fit enough and more than capable of closing and surpassing the points deficit, after all they had done it on more than one occasion this season already. However, the Mariners half back double act called on all their experience and adapted a kicking game that pinned Petersfield deep in their own territory.
Clever little box and cross field kicks turned the visitors defence time and time again and eventually they broke; a deft cross field kick from Jones allowed the left winger, who was either offside by yards or is quicker then Usain Blot, to run on catch and cross over.
No matter how hard Petersfield tried they could just not break free of the strangle hold Havant had them in. When under constant pressure cracks eventually appear and in this case those cracks were turned into points as the Mariners just kept the scoreboard ticking over. Petersfield Veterans always play with spirit and determination and there was no way they were ever going to give up on this game, the relative new comers of Bragg and Dyer carried the ball into the heart of the Havant side on numerous occasions and when they did get ball in hand the normally clinical and rapier like Holden, Eldridge and Jordan were shut down unable to gain good ground, it was just not to be for Petersfield this day. As time ticked away and with nothing to lose Petersfield threw everything at Havant and eventually worked there way down field through good work on the ground and good hands. From a ruck 10m short of the Havant line the ball came out to Rapley in midfield who threw a Serevie style pass through his legs to the supporting centres who moved the ball rapidly down the line for Boyd to cross in the corner for an unconverted try, sadly too little too late.
The final whistle blew and the Mariners, the deserved winners of the trophy 33-5, could celebrate. Petersfield Veterans live to fight another day and will be back next year, their pedigree of 3 finals in 4 years stands as testimony to that.
