A stunning first half performance by CS saw the visitors claim the home sides eighteen month undefeated home record. CS had the try bonus point in the bag by the interval and when the home side rallied the CS defence stood firm to win at what Havant have justifiably termed their fortress.
Although Havant kicked off CS had soon taken play deep into the home side’s territory, and after some good phases by first the backs and then the forwards, and with just 90 seconds on the clock scrum half Adam Nixon found space to score the opening try, which fly half Andy Hall converted 0 – 7. Havant were really struggling to get into both the game and the CS half and were grateful for a CS offside infringement that enabled them to clear their lines. However almost immediately CS were again piling on the pressure, and when Hall found fullback James Houstoun, the try was on and Houstoun fed right wing Pumola Banda, who athletically avoided touch to touch down in the right hand corner; Hall could not convert but after 17 minutes CS were 12 – 0 up.
As the first quarter ended the home team developed some promising play; the CS fullback had to leave to receive attention from the physio and Havant benefitted from two penalties both of which were kicked to touch for 5 metre lines out, none of which came to anything, not least due to the awesome CS defence. At this point the home team lost their fly half and Captain Joel Milton to injury. Never the less the home side kept up the pressure and with the clock touching half an hour the Havant outside centre Scott Morris, my home team pick of the afternoon, found space in the centre to score under the posts, which was duly converted 7 – 12. The home fans were now much more vocal, but that was short lived as within two minutes CS worked a move with crisp passing leading to left wing James Dazeley being fed down the left and although his score was worked round towards the posts it went unconverted; 7 – 17. Soon after the kick off CS conceded a penalty and due to disputing the decision, conceded a further ten metres. Havant kicked to the corner for another five metre line out that again came to nothing. CS then received their second penalty of the match and cleared their lines, and after excellent work from the forwards, followed by a set play near the line Banda scored his second, although players and supporters thought he might have touched down a bit earlier, rather than try to make the posts. Despite Banda’s efforts to make the posts it was not converted. However CS had a try bonus point in the bag and a 7 – 22 half time lead.
The home side started the second half with fire and determination and although CS brought a clean break to a halt with a last gasp tackle a few plays later the Havant inside centre Ben Brierley found space to score under the posts 14 – 22, the game could yet be finely balanced. Whilst under pressure Havant again received a penalty and cleared to touch in CS’s territory, but after 11 minutes of the second half the home side not only conceded a penalty but lost one of their a forwards to the bin for ten minutes. CS kicked to touch and after developing play Houstoun found space down the right wing to score 14 – 27.
Havant do not have an eighteen month unbeaten home record for nothing and forced three more penalties all of which were again kicked to the corner but the CS defence coupled with occasional mistakes by the home side prevented a score, and when CS received a penalty of their own, in front of the posts, on the 22 metre line, Hall successfully converted the kick 14 – 30, Havant then, via yet another penalty kicked to the corner but the line out was not straight. CS then broke through blind side flanker Will Scott who fed Houstoun who was brilliantly tacked just short of the line by Havant’s wing. As the game wore down CS missed a kick to touch from a penalty Havant worked play deep into the CS area, and whilst they had a penalty advantage scored a consolation try; 21 -30.
It was tough and interesting match, befitting two teams one, with hitherto an 18 month undefeated record, and the other, this season with a 100% away record, but the CS’s defence against a considerable number of attacking lines out stood firm and their backs, in the first half in particular, bagged the scores that the whole squad deserved.
Next week CS are away to league leaders Medway, and the support of as many as possible would be very welcome for what should be another fantastic match.