VENTNOR seconds' spirited performance wasn't enough to stop Fareham Heathens seconds in a hard-fought match at Watcombe.
VENTNOR II 14, FAREHAM HEATHENS II 29
The visitors, fielding a strong team, started off on the front foot, scoring early tries in this Hampshire Premiership South League clash on Saturday (February 7).
However, Ventnor, with key players like Nathan Frampton, Luke Steele, Ben Cooper and Tom Smith, showed resilience and matched the Heathens' pace.
Their set-piece play weakened the Heathens' forwards, with skipper Jack Rushton, Henryk Brown, and Chris Skelley dominating the scrums, while Alex Morton excelled in the line-outs.
The home side's defence, led by Rosco Harris, held firm against the Heathens' onslaught.
Despite the pressure, Ventnor began to make headway with Skelley and Harvey Wheeler leading the charge.
At a crucial Heathens scrum right in front of their posts, Ventnor's power play resulted in a penalty.
Harris passed the ball to Will Bloomfield, who barged through the defenders to score a try.
Harry Ottley converted, leaving the halftime score at a promising 7-12.
The second half saw more changes in the Ventnor line-up, with Jack Gilbey moving into the scrum and brief appearances from Bradley Francis and Tristan Price.
Sean Frampton continued his enthusiastic start to the season.
Despite the changes, Fareham Heathens managed to extend their lead with a couple of tries when Ventnor's attacks broke down.
The home team, however, didn't lose spirit and showed ambition.
Fred Fairman, who took over from Gilbey at full-back, made a blistering run and was only halted just before the line.
In the final move of the match, Bloomfield picked up at the base of a dominant scrum and kicked ahead.
Harvey Wheeler was first to the resultant breakdown, and Bloomfield was back on hand to crash over for his second try.
Ottley once again slotted the extras to bring the final score to 14-29.
Despite the defeat, the match marked another step forward for the developing Ventnor team.
The team's coach, Ed Blake, said: "The team spirit is indomitable and the progress is evident."
The performance was one of determination and grit, with the team showing signs of improvement and potential for future games.
Ventnor's ability to match the pace of the Heathens and their strong defensive effort were highlights of the match.
The team will look to build on this performance in upcoming games, with the hope of turning their promising play into victories.
Ventnor II: Rushton (capt), Brown, Skelley, N. Frampton, Castle, A. Morton, H. Wheeler, Bloomfield, Harris, H.Ottley, Smith, B. Cooper, Steele, Wood, Gilbey. Replacements: Francis, T. Davis, Price, I. Reeves, M. Wheeler, S. Frampton, Fairman.
