Dogged Defensive Performance Gives Hove the Plaudits

Hove vs. Old Colfeians (H)

After the Easter break Hove played host to Old Colfeians in their penultimate home game of the season. After narrowly losing 25-21 in the reverse fixture, the winning margin was always going to be small and so it proved.

Old Colfeians kicked off with a slight breeze at their backs and did well to tap back the kick off and begin their ascendancy to the Hove try line. Hove stood firm and good line speed forced the knock on. With the bigger pack, Hove were going to be in for a tough time at the set piece, but the front row of Shergold, McGuire and Dibsdall held firm all day and Freddy Henry controlled the ball superbly at 8.

The dry track allowed Hove to play their expansive game in which they looked to get the ball wide at the earliest moment. A good break in midfield from Sam Whiting saw the first chance of the game; he was supported on his shoulder by Rob Ward who then offloaded to Carl Buckland. Quick ball would have seen the excess Hove numbers score in the corner, however Old Colfeians did well to slow the ball down and get the necessary numbers back in defence to push Hove into touch.

A penalty drifted wide from the Old Colfeians fly-half before a neat chip from Hove full back Sam Whiting found Guy Patton; he passed back to Sam Whiting who found Ian William on his shoulder. The ball was recycled and Martin Macdonald carried strongly into midfield and Old Colfeians went off their feet allowing Hove a shot at goal which Phil Dugard gratefully accepted, 3-0.

A strong carry down the right hand side of the pitch by Will Walker got Hove into a good position. The returning Jack Newton showed some lovely hands down the blind side to keep Hove pressing. Old Colfeians infringed again at the breakdown and Phil Dugard was true with his strike and Hove led 6-0. Hove looked dangerous every time they got the ball wide and had it not been for Old Colfeians disrupting the Hove rucks, Hove could well have gone over for the first score.

A second penalty was missed by the Old Colfeians fly-half before a long range Sam Whiting drop goal never looked like going over. Hove continued to build the phases through strong carries from Shergold and Buckland. A quick tap penalty by Rob Biggs followed by a cross field kick gave Ryan Bhimji a scoring opportunity, however his footballing skills let him down and the ball went out into touch. The first half closed with a break from the Old Colfeians prop who found his winger on his shoulder. He was however tackled early by Ian William resulting in a penalty which was taken to take the score at halftime to Hove 6 Old Colfeians 3.

With the majority of the territory in the first half, Hove needed to be more clinical with their visits to the Old Colfeians 22 in order to turn their dominance into points.

From the restart Hove were on the back foot after a good chip and chase from the Old Colfeians 12, he was stopped short of the line and knocked the ball on in contact. From the resulting scrum however, Rob Biggs was scragged and driven back in the tackle. Upon placing the ball back, an Old Colfeians hand put downward pressure on the ball and the try was awarded. Conversion was good and Hove trailed by 10-6.

Earlier in the season, Hove would have gone into their shell after conceding; however this side has a new found bit between their teeth. Conceding galvanised the Hove 15 and they went straight up the other end of the park and scored; some great feet and strength in the tackle by Phil Dugard taking him over the line. Conversion drifted wide and Hove led by the smallest of margins 11-10.

Not long after Ryan Morlen back in Hove colours went on one of his darting runs, he in turn found Sam Bath on a cut line who raced over the line. The referee however adjudged the ball to have been lost forward in the act of grounding. Hove continued to press hard and a neat grubber from Sam Whiting forced the Old Colfeians full back to run the ball into touch 5m out. From the resulting pick and go phases Adrian Shergold looked to have grounded the ball for his first try of the season, however the referee declared the ball to have been held up much to the disbelief of the Hove faithful.

Old Colfeians were not done yet however and it was only a brilliant last ditch tackle from Guy Patton that prevented a score. Again Old Colfeians came back at Hove, Sam Whiting was charged down by the onrushing defenders, luckily however Guy Patton was on hand to tidy up and run the ball into touch. From the resulting lineout Old Colfeians got a rolling maul moving, their backs adding their weight. Hove counted brilliantly and outstanding try line defence from Ward, Henry and Newton forced the penalty.

Rob Ward, throwing the darts in place of the absent Declan Peake, found Buckland from the resulting lineout as he had done all day and after he was taking out in the air, the ensuing penalty was kicked to touch giving Hove the win by the narrowest of margins.
Hove played with real dog and this defensive performance will be regarded as one of their best to date this season. Hove have a week break before the last away game of the season to Old Dartfordians.

Man of the Match was awarded to Freddy Henry.

Hove: Dibsdall, McGuire, Shergold, William, Buckland, Newton, Ward, Henry, Biggs, Dugard, Patton, Macdonald, Bhimji, Walker, Whiting (c) Subs. Wallace (Injured in Warm-Up), Bath, Morlen.