A feast of tries as New Milton Rugby Club defeat Portsmouth II
Hampshire Premier: New Milton Rugby Club 66-20 Portsmouth II
SPECTATORS at New Milton Rugby Club were treated to a feast of 14 tries as New Milton defeated Portsmouth II by 60 points to 20 in their Hants Premier match on Saturday.
Milton scored ten tries with their young backs demonstrating how well they can play when set up with good ball provided by the forwards.
Surprisingly, given the final score, it was visitors Portsmouth who scored first, their forwards pushing over from a five-metre line-out.
Milton responded immediately, the backs passing out to winger Nathan Smith who ran in from halfway to touch down. This was quickly followed by Ali Gunn crossing the whitewash after breaking through from a Milton scrum on the visitors’ 22.
Portsmouth were spurred into action and broke through the Milton cover for a second try. But there was no stopping Milton, Gunn made a break and passed to Oli BC to touch down, then Gunn broke through the defence on halfway to score his brace.
A backs move then gave the ball to Milton left wing Charlie Jewiss who from halfway sped away from the Portsmouth defence to score.
Milton were working hard against a good Portsmouth pack who were able to retain their ball in the scrums and lineouts. But the power of the Milton pack secured good possession at the break down and Jack Corbett kept that gain and broke through to join the list of scorers.
All first-half tries were converted by Adam Lavis who made some impressive kicks from the touch line to secure a 42 – 10 Milton advantage at the break.
In the second half Milton were quickly into action, a line-out win gave the ball to Gunn who made a break and passed to Oli BC to touch down. This was quickly followed by Jewiss breaking away and passing to Oli BC to score his hat-trick try.
Portsmouth stuck to their task and were rewarded for their efforts with two more tries which at least gave them a league bonus point.
The Milton onslaught continued and from a line-out in the Portsmouth 22, the pack combined well with the maul pushing for the line and Corbett secured the score for his brace.
Milton's final try was scored by scrum half Lavis who dummied from a scrum on halfway and put on the burners to touch down under the posts. Trusty kicker Lavis then converted, to bring his personal tally to 21 points.
New Milton: R. Frampton, L. Booker, E. Hynd, S. Bew, J. Corbett, A. George, J. Whittle, G. Swamers, A. Lavis, C. Conacher, J. Lines, O. BC, C. Jewiss, N. Smith, A. Gunn, D. Smith, Z. Smith, C. Coombs.
