Survival hopes still flicker as Winchester make it three in a row

Winchester 6, Gosport & Fareham 5

NUNS ROAD was not a place for the faint-hearted last Saturday as these two old rivals locked horns in a bruising encounter that left Winchester the deserved winners.

But the home supporters and players felt elation and frustration in equal measure, because the relegation situation will not be officially settled until the season ends.

With one game to play (at Andover on April 17th) Winchester know that a fourth straight win there might be enough to enable them to miss the drop.

In developing the winning habit, they have proved beyond doubt that they are good enough and tough enough to stay up. Against a team that was determined to try and bully and intimidate its way to victory, Winchester put up stern resistance. Although the quality of play from both sides rarely rose above the mediocre, the match made compelling viewing, especially for those of a black and amber persuasion.

Indeed, this was the type of game Winchester might not have held on to win earlier in the season. So it's a measure of the progress made since. Winchester knew what to expect from this game and were not disappointed, leaving the referee to sort out the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

From the first whistle the hosts made all the running as their feisty opponents found it hard to get their traditional rucking and mauling game going. It seemed a match too far for them. And though their backs kept them in the contest, Winchester eventually beat the visitors at their own game by sheer bloody-mindedness.

An early Dan Kinsey penalty attempt from near the halfway line that narrowly missed was nevertheless a good psychological blow. Then a second monster effort from the limit of his range by Kinsey gave the hosts the lead in injury time before the break. As the game had progressed to that point Winchester's lineout improved, with Alex Hayes and Tom Pervin flying high above the level of skulduggery they faced.

In the second half the hosts continued to hold firm. Without the cunning of Andy Ashwin at fly half, Ed Ravenhill moved forward to fill his boots admirably.

On the only occasion Gosport stretched the hosts out wide they scored, with number eight Chris Thompson finishing off a backs move in the left corner. But Winchester rode the blow well and kept pressing. For that alone the reward of victory was sweet as a second Kinsey penalty from distance soared between the posts.

If it is decided that only two teams go down, there is still hope.

Winchester: Waddington, Gilpin, Kinsey, Hooper, Castle, Ravenhill, Destefano, O'Donoghue (S Moreton 60), Bainbridge, Mort, Hayes, Ettinger, Stratford, Knight, Pervin.

Big weekend at the club

There's a Grand Charity Match at Nuns Road tomorrow (Sat 10th) when Old Marauders and New Marauders meet in a typical Easter Festival game as a prelude to the Winchester Sevens Tournament on Easter Sunday.