Men’s 1st XV v Old Paulines 26/11/2005

Home – London 4 South East

Report by Andy Ward

Won 32-17

Old Paulines’ of the London South West 4 League arrived with their Vets to turn the day into into a very social event. Hove look forward to visiting their club in the near future.The game started in a cold biting wind which was quickly forgotten once action started.

Hove started briskly scoring a try via Rupert Pratt 5-0, which was replied to two minutes later by a converted try by Old Paulines taking the score to 5-7. Hove responded six minutes later by scoring a converted try which was scored and converted by Adam Phillips 12-7.

Two minutes later Chris Watton made a break and passed to Roger Windsor who scored the try for Adam Phillips to successfully convert 19-7. Not to be outdone Old Paulines scored two unconverted tries taking the score to 19-17 in the 38th minute. The second of the brace, was a series of comical errors by Hove near their own line having had several chances to clear the ball to safety. The half ended with Adam Phillips converting a penalty to take the half-time score to 22-17.

At this point it must be stated that the Hove front row of the two Chris’s, Henderson and Watton and debutante ‘Hooker’ Nick Allen ( son of ‘well-known’ Hove Hooker, Peter Allen ), had provided a solid platform for the rest of the team to benefit from.The second half proved to be a more defensive game for Hove until a solid scrum in front of Old Paulines posts provided a clear drop goal chance for Adam Phillips, who readily converted it in the 67th min. 25-17.

As the clock started to rundown, tempers flared, resulting in an Old Paulines player being sent-off for foul play. The game ended with Adam Phillips scoring a try on the right which he converted himself making the final score 32-17.

The game in general was played at a fast pace and was entertaining but at times too close for the new and older generation of Hove supporters.