Match report: Ellingham & Ringwood cruise to 52-32 Hampshire Counties One victory over Guernsey seconds
Ellingham & Ringwood returned to winning ways after a momentary blip against league leaders Havant seconds, running in an impressive eight tries against Guernsey seconds on Saturday.
The weather was perfect for free-flowing rugby, and those watching were rewarded with a total of 13 tries in a game that ebbed and flowed.
The home team opened the scoring with centre Adam’ Higgo’ Higgins crashing over the try line after some fine passing from the backs to send him over in the eighth minute, with Chris Frost slotting over for the additional two points.
Four minutes later, fly-half Tom Veneroso dummied and swerved his way through the Vikings’ defence to score the game’s second try, with Frost successful with the boot again.
At this stage of the game, Ellingham were flying. Frost came off his wing and drifted through the Vikings’ defence to score under the posts to make his kick for goal a simple task in the 18th minute.
The game went through a quieter passage of play until the 31st minute when Ellingham’s discipline let them down again, which became a reoccurring theme as the game proceeded, with Guernsey muscling over.
As the first half drew to a close, prop Corey Wallis powered over for the visitor’s second try, with fly-half Thomas Vellard converting to make the half-time score 21-12 to the hosts.
Scrum-half and captain Sammy Veneroso had some harsh but fair words for his team during the half-time break, but it might have fallen on deaf ears as the visitors came out the stronger of the two sides.
The Vikings quickly slotted a penalty to narrow the scores further, which seemed to wake Ellingham up, with front-row replacement Sam Dargan getting his first try for the club in the 47th minute when he powered his way over for a converted try.
Moments later, Dargan added his second try, which Frost again converted, before the visitors fought back with an unconverted try.
Flanker James’ Buffy’ Bovett was the next to cross the line for Ellingham before defence coach ‘Higgo’ got his second try of the game to extend the home team’s lead, and Frost was successful with the boot.
Despite playing with 13 men, after yellow cards for Tom Veneroso and hooker Pat Fraser, ‘Buffy’ surged up the pitch to score Ellingham’s final one of the game.
There was still time for Guernsey to score two well-earned tries, earning a bonus point, but Ellingham’s mood could not dampened.
Third-placed Ellingham & Ringwood can return to second in the league when they face Gosport & Fareham at home on Saturday, who sit one point higher than the New Forest-based side.
Ellingham & Ringwood: A. Payne, P. Fraser, T. Sampson, D. Smith, C. Scott, J. Bovett, A. Lorton, G. Randall, S. Veneroso, T. Veneroso, T. Grant, C. Hamerston, A. Higgins, C. Frost, H. Leigh-Watts. Subs: S. Dargan, D. Jackson, C. Hills.
