Ventnor 2XV Battled By Conditions And Fawley Strength In Rearranged Fixture

Ventnor 2XV travelled to Fawley for a rearranged fixture, already heavily affected by challenging weather conditions.

Despite not having played since before Christmas, the squad arrived in good spirits, which was evident from the opening moments.

From kick-off, Ventnor made positive progress up the field, with strong carries from Charlie Magnurson and Warren Riches forcing the Fawley defence to work hard to regain possession.

Much of the first half was played in the centre of the pitch, where Sean Frampton and Dean Magnurson impressed at the breakdown, winning turnovers and providing a solid platform.

Debutant Beau Bridgeman made good use of quick ball, bringing the back row into play and spreading the ball wide.

When opportunities did arise out wide, Ollie Wood and Tony Jacobson, supported by Alan Fox, made good ground with powerful carries.

Ventnor were dealt a blow in the first half when Sean Frampton was forced off through injury, leading to a reshuffle in the pack.

Iain Reeves and Ewan Castle stepped up in the second row, holding the scrum firm despite very tough pitch conditions.

Ventnor came close to scoring with their best attacking move of the match, but a promising try was ruled out for a knock-on after a well-worked passage of play from the back.

Ultimately, Fawley’s size and persistence proved decisive, as Ventnor fell to a 40–0 defeat away from home.

Despite the scoreline, the Ventnor players showed great spirit, battling until the final whistle and never giving up.

Ventnor 2XV Squad: Clarke, Brown, I. Reeves, S. Frampton, Castle, Sutton, C. Magnurson (co-capt), D. Magnurson, Bridgeman, W. Riches (co-capt), Mills, Turner, Jacobson, Peat, Wood.Replacements: Fox, Kingswell, Sims.

Next up for Ventnor 2XV is a short trip to face Portsmouth 3XV on 14 February.

Howden Insurance Supporters of the Day: Grace and Sam

Coaches: Damien Marriott, Clive Cardwell-Hill, Todd Riches, Dean Magnurson and Andy Teague

Physio: Todd Connor