This important game, between the league’s first placed team (CS) and the placed one (Havant) was originally scheduled for 3rd March, when CS had been able to select their strongest 18. However on that occasion the fixture was subject to a late postponement due to snow and frozen pitches courtesy of “beast from the east” part one. For a small amateur club with limited resources, CS could no longer field that squad for the rearranged fixture. It was therefore always going to be a tough encounter and CS are delighted to have picked up 4 points and go 9 clear of Medway at the top of the league.

Both sides deserve credit for battling it out to the end, but it was CS who made the better fist of it and took their chances when they came. CS could not have had a better start. Havant kicked off and all too soon, after a minor infringement a scrum was awarded. CS were pleased to have taken quick clean ball against the much heavier Havant pack. CS took the opportunity to kick the ball to the far touch for a Havant line out. Havant won the line out and moved the ball inside and soon had a scrum of their own. Havant also won quick clean ball at the scrum. However from the base of the scrum Havant tried a wild overhead pass which failed to find accurately a fellow player and CS were back in possession. It was passed quickly to the right wing where full back James Houstoun had entered the line, he passed it overhead and inside and wing Zach Stamp scored.

Fly half Tom Hodgson was expected to take the conversion but he never got up from an earlier ruck, and after a head injury assessment took no further part in the match. Houstoun therefore took over both the fly half role as well as the job of attempting the conversion which was successful. After three minutes CS were therefore 7-0 in front, a lead they never relinquished.
After a further 7 minutes Havant had the benefit of another scrum, from a CS knock on immediately after they had stolen the ball from Havant. The Havant scrum was in the CS half which they duly won. From deep one of the Havant centres set off on a diagonal run and received the ball, and made good ground. Houstoun, not in his usual position of full back, as acting fly half could not catch him before he reached the line and scored The Havant fly half converted 7 – 7. It did not take time for CS to again start pressing, and after 17m minutes of the half centre Paddy O’Halloran scored, having picked up the ball from a well timed and judged kick ahead by one of the CS backs, with Houstoun converting 14 – 7.

In the run up to half time CS conceded several penalties, the first of which Havant used to try and find touch but failed. The next penalty Havant ran but ceded play top CS aftern a knock on. Six minutes before half time Havant opted to kick a penalty at goal which was successful 14 – 10. Almost immediately CS were awarded a penalty which was a few metres inside the Havant half. Due to the strong wind hooker Josh Forrester held the ball for Houstoun to try and get back three points. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced out. The advancing CS players secured the rebounding ball but were not quite able to score and the half therefore ended 14 – 10. During the break it was identified that Havant appeared to like playing with the ball and did not like defending. Despite the conditions the plan was therefore to keep the ball and make Havant defend. Despite the second half artic conditions Houstoun. Forrester, Tom Williams and all the CS players delivered the plan with a brilliant defensive performance, as well as taking their opportunities when they came. One such was six minutes befgore time,then a penalty was awarded. Houstoun kicked to touch. The line out was taken cleanly, scrum half Tom Bugge skipped through the defence and fed back row Will Scott. After driving further towards the Havant line, tight head prop Ollie Fulljames continued the drive towards the Havant line until CS were awarded a penalty on the Havant 22m line which Houstoun kicked to the corner for an attacking line out. The ball was cleanly won and then the forwards drove for the line, and when they crossed it, it was Forrester who had got the touch down, his 11th of the season. Houstoun failed with the conversion attempt. 19 – 10 with virtually no time left. There were no further scores and CS took 4 points and Havant 0. CS therefore moved 9 points clear of Medway.
CS Head Coach Mark Jackson said. “ With it being such an important game for both sides I felt we were a tad nervous early on. Both sides played well against the wind, but we showed admirable control and discipline after the break and our forwards, at scrum and maul time, laid the foundation for this vital win against a very talented and dangerous Havant side.”

This week CS are away to fifth placed Cobham.