Southampton Seconds faced Fawley Seconds in a good-natured but bruising encounter, in which Fawley's fast young backs proved to be the difference between the sides.

Fawley kicked off and the ball fell to new second row Tom Perry who wasted no time finding his feet by crashing the ball into the the chasing Fawley forwards. Southampton recycled the ball and put together a series of attacks, spending much of the opening ten minutes in Fawley's half, but were unable to break through the defence. Instead it was Fawley who opened the scoring with a counter attack that saw the ball moved out wide where the fast backs proved difficult to stop.

This was a pattern that was to be repeated as Fawley had more possession and got the ball wide as much as possible, with the backs running in a number of tries to open up a sizeable lead at half time. Southampton came close in the first half with Terance Puna looking likely to score, but as he stepped back inside to go under the posts he was stopped by some desperate defending on the try line.

The second half saw Southampton finally open their account as Dave Ward picked up at the base of the ruck and spotted a gap on the blind side. He drew the last man and put Aidan Sharp clear down the wing. Sharp still had a fair bit to do but he proved too fast for the defence. As a Fawley lad himself, Sharp took particular pleasure from touching the ball down under the posts against a number of his old mates. Dave Ward converted.

Saints continued to create openings and put Robbie Gitau in for what looked like certain tries on multiple occasions, but somehow he managed to knock-on a hat-trick of chances making Southampton's task considerably harder! Instead it was Ward who grabbed the next try after a break and offload from Nick Cazeaux.

Carl Shodeke bagged Saints' third try after breaking through the defence in the centre of the pitch. Dave Ward converted, making it two out three (which ain't bad, according to Meatloaf).

But despite a much improved second half from Southampton, Fawley ran in more tries themselves including a number from long range by their man of the match winger and the result was never really in doubt.

Southampton's cause wasn't helped by injuries to Luke Inder, Luke Still and Rico Scala - who claims to have torn his arse. Credit and thanks to Fawley for lending Oscar to step in at second row.

This was a game played in true second-team spirit. Fawley fielded a number of new players, with both sides making an effort to ensure the new boys were looked after and learned plenty from their time on the field. Southampton also found themselves lining up against one of their former players, Gavin Pollock, in the Fawley front row. Only Eastleigh and Trojans left for Gav and he can shout 'Bingo!'

Tom Perry found himself downing a pint on a chair as Man of the Match, after a debut full of powerful carries, tackles and even a line out steal. Robbie Gitau was Dick of the Day - not for his hat-trick of try butchering knock-ons, but because when his lift arrived to bring him to the game he was not there. He had forgotten he was meant to be playing.

Southampton Rugby Club

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