..A bright chilly spring morning turned into intermittent sleet, rain, cloud, and then bright sunshine again on Havant’s artificial pitch. In front of a bumper crowd that had gathered for their President’s Lunch and awards, the two teams lined up abreast with officials to clap for a minute in order to remember the life of Maddy Lawrence, a twenty year old UWE Bristol player who tragically recently lost her life a week ago after picking up a hospital infection following while being treated for a rugby injury.
Stags got off to a very good start at the offset, and kept up continuous pressure from the offset for the first twenty minutes. Any early attacks by Havant were repelled by force and hard and solid tackling with good clearances. Havant were driven back to their five metre line, and could not clear. At around the 15 minute mark, an excellent tackle by Raz (1), and great kick ahead and follow up by Freddie Cracknell (11), resulted to a penalty to Stags that Freddie put over. 0-3 to Stags. Havant were clearly frustrated, as made clear by their captain clearly yelling out to his own team to pull their act together!
However, on 22 minutes after a strong lineout by Havant, they push over for a try in the corner which they could not convert. 5-3 to Havant.
We were back in the Havant 22 around the 25 minute mark, but lost the line out, allowing Havant to clear their lines. Havant put pressure on Stags for the next ten minutes, driving to the line in the corner, and then scoring under the posts around the 32 minute mark. Converted, score 12-3. Late first half some more good pressure by Stags on the Havant line, including a great charge down by Noah Callaghan (13) that unfortunately went into dead ball area. The pressure turned into a Stags penalty, which John Hargreaves (10) successfully converted. 12-6 to Havant. Unfortunately Raz went off injured just before the half, together with Freddie who had a deep gashed cheek.
Second half Stags came out guns blazing again, forcing line outs and scrums in the Havant half. Unfortunately a very strong and powerful Havant pack seemed to take dominance in the scrums, and Stags did well to retain their own ball at times under clearly difficult circumstances. 48 minutes, penalty and warning to Stags on our five metre line. Concerted pressure by Havant followed, numerous penalty scrums that Havant kept electing to re-take. The result at 52 minutes was another Havant try from a scrum drive, unconverted. 17-6 to Havant. Stags did manage some good attacking to follow and were showing clear determination and gut. However a knock on put paid to that. Around 62 minute mark Parimal (15) yellow carded for deliberate knock on in front of posts. The pressure mounted to a breakthrough try by Havant in the corner at 67 minutes. Converted – 68 minutes score 24-6. 72 minute mark Alex Jones yellow carded, but Parimal’s time in the bin was just up, so Stags at 14 men. More pressure in the Stags try line corner resulted in Mike Odzilli {8} sin binned at 69 minutes. Stags down to 13. The last ten minutes resulted in more obvious pressure from Havant, which saw a penalty try awarded to them around the 77 minute mark. 31-6 to Havant. Another Havant try followed in Stags left hand corner in the 79 minute, unconverted. 36-6. Mike back on to make 15 men with a minute to go. Final score Havant 36, CS Stags 6.
Overall there were again some gutsy performances by the Stags boys, with some strong tackling in both the forwards and backs. Andrew Fadera (6) and Mike Odzilli in particular made some telling tackles and drives, and there was some decisive running by Noah Callaghan (13) and Luke Trigg (14) as ever. Alex Jones (9) and John Hargreaves (10) controlled the game. A very heavy, experienced, and dominant Havant pack got the better of us. Onwards and upwards Stags to the Sidcup match 9th April.
A quick mention to our Club Secretary Nick Alway (I know he shall berate me for this), who unfortunately was taken ill on the final whistle at the game. Nick was kept overnight for observation at QA Hospital Portsmouth, and his family (and of course us at the club) are informed and around him for anything needed, and we all wish Nick a speedy recovery and drinking his favourite cider with us in the bar very soon.