Fordingbridge get back to winning ways beating Gosport and Fareham 17-96

After a row of defeats, we were determined to put a stop to the run as we travelled to beleaguered Gosport and Fareham who are currently at the bottom of the Hampshire Premier League.
Next to the sea and with a very strong wind blowing across the pitch the match kicked off and it was the home side who immediately took control of the game. Their powerful pack managed the opening part of the game well with their route one strategy resulting in the first try after just two minutes.
We were definitely slow out of the blocks but started to get our game together realising that we had the advantage out wide with our quicker players. Just ten minutes in we got our first try when Mark Hammond scored the first of his hat trick of the afternoon.
Despite the fact that Gosport and Fareham had the heavier pack, we held our own in the scrums resulting in an even contest all afternoon. However, Gosport and Fareham could not match the speed available to us and before the half time whistle we had scored four more tries. Another from Mark Hammond, two from Peter Scott and one from Ryan Hill. With the four try bonus point achieved we started the second half up, at five points to thirty three.
The second half saw eleven more tries, nine from us and two from Gosport and Fareham. Immediately after the break Mat Norton scored two before Gosport pounced on one of our rare mistakes and after kicking through won the foot race to the line.
Dan Brown was the next player on the score board who touched down for two in a row punctuated by the last and only converted Gosport and Fareham try of the afternoon. The last ten minutes of the match saw us score a series of tries. One apiece from Ben Broderick, Peter Scott, Steve Brown, Harry Hitchings and Mark Hammond rounded of the afternoon with the final score at seventeen points to ninety six.
After a superb afternoon with the boot converting thirteen of the fourteen tries, Mat Norton was awarded man of the match.
Despite the huge score line it must be said that Gosport and Fareham kept their heads up throughout the match and were always a threat. A point that Captain Harry Hitchings made in the post match celebrations.
The win keeps us fourth in the Hampshire Premier League narrowly ahead of Millbrook RFC. Next week Sandown and Shanklin travel to the Rec for the second of the seasons fixtures.