Havant took CS’s second place, with CS dropping to fourth in London Two South, courtesy of a convincing Victory over a below par CS Rugby side.
Despite the temperatures there was a fair crowd who saw Havant pull away in the final quarter thanks to CS conceding ten second half penalties and moments of madness that saw CS loose two players concurrently to ten minute spells in the bin, resulting in three tries and twenty eight points during a nine minute spell, which ensured victory for the visitors.
Havant kicked off and it took CS a while to settle and get any possession and territory, not least due to conceding six penalties in the first twenty minutes, at the end of which the score was 0-10 – Havant scoring a converted try and a well struck drop goal. CS then got into the game and exerted some pressure with Havant receiving a yellow card for infringing close to their try line. During the yellow bin period Dazeley scored and Jones converted. Perhaps CS should have done better whilst Havant were down to fourteen, but later in the half Guyett scored with Jones again converting, giving CS the lead 14 – 10. However Havant, not first the first time, won the ball from their kick off and non-existent tackling resulted in Havant immediately scoring under the posts to take a halftime lead of 14–17.
CS started the second half brightly and after promising work by the forwards the backs moved the ball quickly left and McLean scored with Jones converting and CS were back in front 21-17. Fourteen minutes into the second half CS conceded one of many penalties for driving up in the scrum and because, at this stage, this was a close game Havant kicked the penalty to leave them trailing by just a point. After a further eight minutes Havant were awarded their fourth second half penalty and kicked to the right touch line for a five metre line out, which their pack, considerably larger than CS’s, won, and after switching the play to the left the Havant hooker scored in the far left corner which was not converted 21-25. Almost immediately another front row penalty was awarded to Havant who again kicked to the corner. Although Havant did not score all too soon CS received two yellow cards whilst defending their line. The ineluctable consequence of playing a well drilled Havant team with thirteen men was that penalties and points would be conceded, and so it proved, three more penalties were conceded but the fourth was not needed with Havant scoring under the posts whilst advantage was being played, 21-32. Two more Havant tries were rapidly scored; the first by their full back and the second by their left wing who picked up Jones’s chip ahead just before Jones could do so himself and scored Havant’s sixth try 21-46.
After that chaotic period of play and with CS back to 15 men there was the incentive of a fourth try and the resulting bonus point. CS actually received two penalties of their own but it was two little too late but it did enable Jones to score CS’s fourth try, and his conversion was the last play of the match. 28-46.
CS will review the match and find that at times they contributed to their own downfall, which they can at least work on. Next week CS has another challenging match away to Gravesend.