WHILE IW’s first team completed the derby double over Ventnor at Watcombe Bottom, the same could not be said for the second team. 

A closely contested affair ended with honours even. 

A late try salvaged a draw for the battling IW, and it was a game of two halves. 

The visitors settled first, and applied pressure in the opening eight minutes, before Ventnor ran out of defenders and the ball was moved wide for hard-working forward Jayme Bishop to touch down.

The hosts soon came back and dominated the remainder of the first half. 

In the persistent drizzle, handling was difficult for both sides and defences were on top, but a spell of pressure culminated in a Ventnor try to level the scores. 

IW had difficulty clearing their lines at times, and it was Ventnor who scored again on the stroke of half-time. 

The conversion gave the home side a 12-5 lead at the break.

Debutant Harvey Stanton was forced off at half-time through injury, but IW veterans Dan Stirrup and Spencer Fox rolled back the clock with stellar performances.

The visitors had the wind advantage after the break and controlled much of the second half. 

Strong defending and handling errors kept them at bay for a time, before Biffa man of the match Dan Bishop crashed over to narrow the gap to two points.

IW conceded a late try to fall seven points behind but did well to rally. 

It was left to Arid Design man of the match, Gary Warvill, to sell a classic dummy and sidestep over for a trademark try with time almost up. 

Warvill added the conversion from under the posts and both sides shared the spoils.

The game ended 17-17.