Solid win for Ravens

On a wind and rain swept Sunday morning at Havant Ravens looked ready for their first league match of the 2018/19 season despite a few players absent from the normal starting line up. They started strong and maintained p[possession despite a number of poor passes exacerbated by the turbulent wind. It took six and half minutes for them to get the first score when flanker Ethan Hammond crashed over, normally a centre he appeared to relish the game on the flank. Ravens lost Lock Riley Clark to injury and George Joyce stepped in to the big shoes to fill. Havant never took a step backwards and their tackling was solid. Ravens squandered chances trying to pass too long in the conditions but finally on twenty minutes lock Ben Wheeler forced his way over. They then strung an impressive set of phases together that ended when centre Kini Nawai slotted a kick through the defensive line and chased it down to slide in for a try; Aidan Jarvis converted on a difficult day for kickers. Ravens were back in the groove and the other centre Harry Rabjohn closed out the half with a try. 22-0 to Ravens.

Second half started as the first finished with Harry Rabjohn going over for his second of the day. Substitutions were made and Ravens lost their shape a little as well as their discipline. Frustrations began to tell and the referee had had enough of the adolescent unsporting conduct and yellow carded one from each side. Havant were dogged in defence and Ravens were off the boil making poor decisions that meant they didn't continue to add to the scoreboard. Finally on the sixty third minute No 8 Ed Bell was driven over in an excellent piece of maul work by the forwards, Aidan converted his second of the day. Havant deservedly had the last word when flanker James Penrose made a good blindside break off the scrum and fed his wing who evaded two weak tackles to score in the corner. Final score 34-5 to Ravens.

Havant nominated centre Kini Nawai as Player of the Match for Ravens and Ravens nominated Havants James Penrose.