SANDOWN and Shanklin sit proudly at the top of the Counties 2 Hampshire division after a largely commanding performance against mid-table Fordingbridge on Saturday.

FORDINGBRIDGE 23, HURRICANES 37

In an epic game, Sandown attacked relentlessly and with precision — scoring early tries that kept Fordingbridge on the back foot.

Fordingbridge fought hard, but could not cope with wave after wave of Hurricanes pressure.

The Islanders' man of the match, Ash Smith, made a positive early impression by scoring the opening try.

His second try solidified Sandown’s dominance, which left Fordingbridge's defence scattered.

A penalty from Ant Burr increased the lead to 13-0, but penalties haunted Sandown too — conceding three in rapid succession.

It brought Fordingbridge back into the game — pulling the score back to 13-9.

As the second half began, Zak Chiverton caught Fordingbridge off guard with a show-and-go move to score, with the try converted, to make it 20-9.

Hurricanes captain, Jacob Jordan, then took control of the game.

With a flurry of tries, Sandown’s lead increased as their authority grew.

As Fordingbridge tried to regroup, Jordan's scoring moved the score on to 32-9.

The Hurricanes' final try came from Josh Braham, who showed exceptional work rate to set up Tom Marriott, who made the most of the opportunity.

However, their performance was tarnished a little by ill-discipline, which allowed Fordingbridge to make a late charge with two tries of their own.

Afterwards, Sandown's director of rugby, Damien Marriott, said: "Over the past two weeks, we faced formidable opponents away from home who were in excellent form. 

"Acknowledging our performance fell short the previous game, we aimed to make a statement and, for significant stretches, we demonstrated our capabilities admirably. 

"Despite our commendable efforts, lapses in discipline marred our performance — an aspect we recognise and intend to rectify for the upcoming fixtures. 

"Securing two impressive victories consecutively on the road is particularly noteworthy, considering these venues have historically been challenging for us."