Match report: Ellingham & Ringwood RFC beat Gosport & Fareham RFC 28-15 to secure promotion from Hampshire Counties One
Ellingham & Ringwood defeated fellow promotion hopefuls Gosport & Fareham in a winner-takes-all match on Saturday, securing the second spot and promotion.
Ellingham were the first to get the scoreboard moving. After sustained pressure from the Ellingham forwards and a number of penalties conceded by the home team, captain Sammy Veneroso asked winger Chris Frost to kick for goal to take a three-point lead in the 16th minute.
Two minutes later, Frost showed his speed down the left flank to score in the corner for a well-worked try.
After finding themselves 8-0 down, Gosport & Fareham woke up, with hooker Tim Snowden scoring a try in the 27th minute.
Frost was the best player on the pitch, and he soon scored his second try of the game when he sprinted down the left wing in the 49th minute, out-pacing the home team to score in the far corner.
The momentum shifted multiple times in the second half, with the hosts fighting back. Even during a spell with 14 players, they were proving a hard team to keep at bay. In the 56th minute, they scored a second unconverted try.
Dan Jackson came off the bench to play at number eight and soon muscled his way through a couple of tackles and ran through the centre of the pitch to score under the posts, giving Frost an easy kick to add the two points and extend the visitors lead in the 63rd minute.
The hosts would not lie down, and they reduced the deficit to five points with a well-taken try.
As the match entered the final 10 minutes, following sustained pressure from Ellingham’s forwards, the home team gave away several penalties, and Frost punished them, slotting the three points in the 71st minute.
As the game was coming to its conclusion, second-rower George Randall powered his way over the line in the 78th minute to give Ellingham a bonus point.
Chris Jeffes earned special praise after controlling the game from full-back with an excellent kicking game. As did coaches Alan Steel and Keiron Spencer for steering the club to promotion to Regional Two, the highest level the New Forest club has achieved.
Ellingham & Ringwood’s director of rugby, Mark Johnson, organised a coach for the team to celebrate their victory in style, which they did with a few beers and many songs.
Ellingham & Ringwood take on fifth-placed Sandown & Shanklin at home on Saturday.
Ellingham & Ringwood: A. Payne, P. Fraser, T. Sampson, D. Smith, C. Scott, J. Bovett, A. Lorton, G. Randall, S. Veneroso, T. Veneroso, C. Frost, C. Hamerston, H. Leigh-Watts, T. Grant, C. Jeffes. Subs: T. Johnson, D. Mallard, C. Seaby.
