As would be expected the game was a tough physical encounter between two sides keen to play expansive rugby. Despite opportunities both sides fell to the pressure of the occasion and did not manage to convert their efforts into points until thirty minutes into the half when New Milton scored the opening try in the corner. The difficult conversion was missed and the score remained five nil until the break.
New Milton increased their advantage early in the second half with a penalty and converted try to take the score to fifteen nil. Fordingbridge finally broke through the solid home defence when Sam Elkins scored but the conversion was narrowly missed.
New Milton responded with another unconverted try and penalty and with ten minutes to go the visitors were eighteen points down. Tim Donell picked from the base of the scrum ten metres out and found the try line to double the Fordingbridge tally but New Milton put the game well out of reach with four minutes to go to win the match by 28 -10 and promotion into London 3 league.
The game lived up to expectations and congratulations must go to New Milton not only for the win on the day but for a great season. Fordingbridge welcome third placed Romsey at the Rec next week for the last league game of the season.