VENTNOR'S season looks at last to have come to life after producing another vital win in their battle to beat the drop in Counties 3 Hampshire.
VENTNOR 26, CHRISTCHURCH 13
In front of another good crowd at Watcombe Bottom on Saturday, the game was end-to-end, with Ventnor staying in the contest thanks to try-saving tackles from Jake Babington and Callum Martin.
Eventually, Ventnor cracked — conceding a try from a maul that sucked in their defence.
Ventnor looked ragged, conceding three soft penalties — one of them scored.
However, experienced Josh Rettie, new to the side, at fly-half, started to have an influence on Ventnor's play, as they trailed 8-0 at half-time.
The visitors struck first after the interval, to make it 13-0.
Ventnor showed character by making inroads into the visitors’ defence.
From a ruck, Morton took a quick penalty to provide Guy Entwistle a try, converted by Ed Blake.
Rettie was starting to run the show.
A quick line-out released Babington and Layton Greatorex deep into Christchurch territory, a hurried defensive kick was remarkably caught by Fairman and Babington was in to make it 13-12.
It was all Ventnor now.
From another line-out, Blake caught a kick on the half-way line, then slalomed his way through the Christchurch defence over for an excellent try, which he also converted, 19–13.
Then Morton put Rettie away — outflanking the opposition to score under the posts for the converted bonus point try.
Ventnor remain second bottom.
Ventnor: Harrison, Collett, Savill (capt), Teague, Coltham, Entwistle, Morton, Magnurson, Souter, Rettie, Blake, Greatorex, Fairman, Martin, Babington. Replacements: Lythgoe, Green, Ottley.
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