Gos U13 Get 2012 Off To A Flying Start

Portsmouth kicked off the first half towards the creek but, despite the downward slope favouring the visitors, it was the home side who struck first. Portsmouth sought to attack early on but a tackle from centre Jake Moseley inside the Gosport half led to a turnover. Gos worked their way up to the visitors' 10 metre line, lost the ball but stole it straight back with prop Ethan Carpenter making the most of the opportunity to take play into the Portsmouth 22. A quickly taken tap penalty allowed centre Stephen Cheatle to burst through and score out wide from short range.
Some penetrating runs from Moseley and scrum half Matt John made ground for the home side and threatened to create scoring opportunities but the Portsmouth defence tackled well and held firm. The break from John took play deep into the Portsmouth 22, as the ball was taken on by Carpenter and several well-worked passes kept the move going until Gos conceded possession with a forward pass.
Another try beckoned when Portsmouth were penalised for illegal binding at the scrum 10 metres from their own line, Rhys Morgan tried to squeeze over in the corner but was held up and the visitors were able to clear their lines from the subsequent scrum. A Portsmouth penalty failed to find touch, Cheatle gathered and fed John, who broke through the Portsmouth lines. The visitors were penalised for a high tackle on John, then again for failing to retreat 10 metres, John quickly took the second tap and sliced through the Portsmouth defence to score under the posts. With a straightforward conversion, fly-half Matthew “Dids” Symington added the extras to make the score 12-0.
Portsmouth had played well up to this point and looked strong in the scrum so were still very much in the game and not about to throw in the towel. Gosport tried to run the ball from deep in their own half and spread the ball wide but the referee had been playing advantage to Portsmouth and blew for a Portsmouth scrum. The visitors launched their own attack, switching play from one side of the field to the other before touching down near the corner flag.
The remainder of the half was a real battle, with Portsmouth dominant in the scrum and some fantastic phases of play from both sides. The heavier Portsmouth pack pushed the Gos pack backwards on more than one occasion but Gosport managed to win most of their own set piece ball and were solid in defence. Gosport attack was followed by Portsmouth counter-attack but good tackles from Joe Bunn and Jake Ellard led to a turnover, which meant that Gos could relieve the pressure and finish the half with a seven point lead.
Playing down the slope in the second half, Gosport looked to try and take full advantage. Despite a huge push from the visitors' scrum on their own 10 metre line, Gosport managed to secure possession and released Jake Moseley, who took the ball up to the Portsmouth 22. Gos lost the ball at the breakdown but tackled strongly, forcing Portsmouth into touch for a Gosport line-out, which the home side promptly won. Try number three seemed inevitable but for a forward pass, which allowed the visitors some respite, if only for a while. Another strong scrum from Portsmouth allowed them to clear their lines, but only as far as their own 22. Gos secured the line-out and broke through Jack Haggard, Portsmouth stole possession and immediately lost it again, allowing Carpenter to burst through and feed Matthew “Curly” Freeman, who scored Gosport's third try.
A blistering run from Cheatle straight from the re-start made 50 metres for the home side, the crowd held its breath as he chipped ahead and chased his own kick but the ball bounced kindly for the visitors, who countered immediately. Portsmouth broke down the right wing, and might have scored if the brilliant piece of individual play had come from a winger and not a tight-head prop. Despite a surprising turn of speed from the Portsmouth front-rower, Dids Symington managed to scramble back to make a try-saving tackle.
A period of Gosport pressure followed, with the home side making themselves at home in the visitors' 22. A break from replacement winger Bradley Cummings created problems for Portsmouth as the ball was taken on through several phases, before finding its way to Moseley, who was eventually held up over the line. Portsmouth brought play back into the Gosport half but lost the ball in the maul, thanks to some great work by replacement Gosport prop Chris Wallis. Cummings took Gosport back into the visitors' half but Portsmouth soon countered and put together a number of phases of their own. A determined Gosport defence kept the visitors at bay, despite some powerful driving mauls well inside the Gosport 22. The home side weathered the storm, holding out even after Portsmouth were awarded a penalty deep in Gosport territory, just before the final whistle. Gosport had faced one of their toughest opponents of the season so far and come away with a hard-fought and well-deserved win.