Men’s 1st XV v Dover 17/12/2005

Away – RFU Senior Vase

Report by Andy Ward

Lost 19-27

Hove arrived in Dover to be greeted by a bitterly cold icy wind. Hove won the toss and decided to play down hill in the first half. After 2 mins Dover were granted a penalty just outside the Hove 22 metre line, in front of the posts and it was readily converted for Dover to lead 3-0. On the 10 min mark Nick Marshall scored a try which was converted by Adam Phillips, 7-3 to Hove.

On the stroke of half time Roger Windsor scored Hove’s second Try and again Adam Phillips converted taking the half time score to 14-3 in Hove’s favour.

Attacking down hill Dover scored a converted Try in the 53rd min, a penalty two minutes later and further converted tries in the 66th and 72nd minutes take the score to 27-14 in Dover’s favour.

With 4 minutes remaining Alex Robertson ran in a try in the right hand corner to take the full time score to 19-27.All in all it was a good game of rugby, evenly contested with Dover making more of the advantage of playing downhill in the second half. (Don’t they always!)

Fortune favoured Dover on the day with three of their kicks scoring off the uprights and crossbar.