Ravens repeat last seasons best game

Ravens set out to set a marker on their season and assess their progress. They looked back on this fixture last season as probably their best team performance of last season when they secured 7th place in the Hampshire Cup. On the soft pitch, that was very greasy, a fast handling game was going to be difficult and both teams came out committed to they game. Both teams had a couple of good attacks before Ravens Lock Ben Wheeler broke the defensive line to score in the 6th minute. 9 minutes later he crossed the line again for what was his 20th try and 100th point of the season. Finlay Daly and Harry Freeman work hard in the loose with Samuel Rushent and Ed Bell making good metres in attack. Ed Bell and Tom Ellis added further tries, with two conversions by Harry Rabjohn, to bring up 24 points in the half for Ravens. In response Trojans did manage to break their defence and score a try of their own. Half Time 14-5 to Gosport.

Ravens didn't seem to take their foot off the gas in the second half and came straight back at Trojans from the kick off. A series of interchanges between forwards and backs led to tries by Ben Wheeler (2), Euan and William Hosell. George Smith kept up the distribution and Ethan Hammond and Tom Ellis kept the backs going forward. Substitutions were made and for a change they didn't seem to detract from the teams cohesion. Jude Read, and Oliver Orsag celebrating his birthday, had a good first run out for the Huginn side. Harry Rabjohn (MOTM) scored a try after a cutting run from inside his own half and kicked four out of five conversions; he was then unlucky to take a yellow card for the team after repeated off-side infringements. Trojans score and converted once in the second half for a final score of 57-12 to Gosport.

A great mornings rugby with a solid win, the score line didn't reflect the efforts of the Trojans team who never gave up and played some good rugby that didn't always get the result it deserved. Still areas to work on for Ravens, especially the off side lines are rucks and mauls; but overall a real marker of the progress they have made. Another test next week at home against Petersfield.