Hard Fought Home Win for the Colts

Another damp, grey day for a home match against Portsmouth.
Gosport and Fareham were reduced to a starting squad of just 16 due to illness, injury, general MIA and the 6 Nations...but what a squad it was.
The first quarter was mostly played in Gosport and Fareham's half. Portsmouth seemed intent on making it a Forward dominated game but the Colts' defence was more than up to the task and held firm.
The Colts started getting into their stride and worked the ball up the pitch before Alec "Hammie" Hammond opened the scoring.
This was followed just 6 minutes later with a perfectly weighted cross field kick, an outstretched hand from a diving Alfie Barfield dabbing the ball down.
Portsmouth came back with a converted try right on the half time whistle.

Gosport and Fareham 10 - 7 Portsmouth

The second half started with the team reduced to 15. Portsmouth opened the second half scoring with an unconverted try after 8 minutes. James Hensman regained the lead for G&F with a well worked try, converted by Rob Ellis.
It was a further 10 minutes, during which time G&F were reduced to 14 players, before Ben Crees broke through, sliding across the line to increase G&Fs lead.
Portsmouth responded just three minutes later bringing the score to Gosport and Fareham 22 - 17.
Another injury saw Gosport and Fareham reduced to 13 but this didn't stop them gaining territory until James Hensman stormed through a couple of tackles and crossed the line for his second of the day.
Portsmouth started to exploit the overlap and scored two quick tries in succession. With one minute left on the clock and with the scores level Gosport & Fareham regained the ball, went through the phases before popping it up into the waiting hands of James Hensman who, with his usual grace and elegance, stormed through a gap on the blind side of the ruck, swatting Portsmouth players aside and leaving a trail of tacklers in his wake before dotting the ball down right behind the posts. Robert Ellis slotted the conversion over to make the final score Gosport and Fareham 34 - 27 Portsmouth.

Man of the Match was awarded to James "Hat trick" Hensman.