SUPERMARINE’s 33-3 defeat at Marlborough in Dorset and Wilts 1 North on Saturday may appear to have been a hiding on paper, but player-coach Sean Millwaters insists that the scoreline was something of an injustice.
The trip to top-of-the-table Marlborough was always going to be a severe test of the new and improved Marine, but a dynamic and explosive pack display laid the foundations for an impressive effort.
And, but for 15 minutes of mayhem in the second half when their hosts ran in three unanswered tries, the result would have been a lot closer.
“I feel as though the score flattered them slightly,” said Millwaters.
“The defensive line was in disarray for a little while after half-time when Matt Dickens had to go off, and that’s where it went wrong.
“We’ll have to have a look back at that in training and see what we can do to stop that from happening again, but we more than held our own.
“Marlborough said to us after the game that we were one of the best packs in the division and a massive improvement from the last time they played us.
“The score may suggest it was a bit one-way but it really wasn’t.”
The corresponding fixture last season saw Marlborough run in 85 points.
But on this occasion Marine were capable of subduing the home side’s powerful forwards, and had chances of their own in the backs as well.
And Millwaters went so far as to say that the visiting tight five held the upper hand overall.
“We gave them a shock,” he said. “We definitely had them worried and had the edge in the forwards.
“Our two props, Paul Bishop and Matthew Smith, were immense.
“Apart from their purple patch we were playing some of the best rugby that we’ve played all year.”
n Supermarine 2nds overcame Aldbourne and Hungerford 2nds by an impressive 40-0 scoreline at the weekend.
Karl Trevett crossed the line to open the scoring and added an early penalty to give Supermarine an 8-0 half time lead.
A changed Supermarine in the second half ran rampant.
Atherton grabbed two quick tries to extend the advantage before winger Bown notched the home side’s fourth. Quick ball won by the forwards and a planned backs move saw Bown in for his second of the game and, as the opposition tired, Hywel Rees was able to add to his tally for the season.
For the last score Supermarine lock Ferris fly-hacked through for Ben Hordies to touch down.
n Supermarine’s ladies lost out by the narrowest of margins, 20-19, to top-of-the-table Henley at the weekend.
Henley snuck in two tries in the first 15 minutes take an early advantage but Marine gained composure and Leila Johns to touched down right in the corner to reduce the arrears.
Libbie Jones put the home side 12-10 ahead early in the second half and the side’s exchanged then exchanged tries, with Supermarine’s coming courtesy of Vicky White.
But Henley took the lead with moments left in the game, and held on through the closing stages to secure the victory.
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