CHAMPIONS: Eastleigh skipper David Craddock with the Plate.
EA S T L E I G H
won the Gales
Hampshire Plate,
sponsored by
Fullers Brewery, in
a hard-fought game
with Farnborough
at Bishopstoke.
The visitors were runners-
up last season and
fought tenaciously to
avoid being bridesmaids
again, only to succumb
15-8.
The game was played
in a biting wind, making
handling difficult, and
both sides were better in
defence than co-ordinated
attack.
Eastleigh attacked
from the start and a driving
maul soon set up a
position near the line.
After five minutes of
continuous pressure,
Andy Dowan drove them
back with a well-struck
clearance, only for a
great tackle by Paul
Fudio, who had a tremendous
game, to put the
home side on the attack
again.
With their pack in
charge of the set-piece,
Eastleigh mounted a
move from the halfway.
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Pete Noonan fed Dave
Craddock, who off-loaded
in the tackle, and Rich
O'Donnell raced to the
line before finding the
supporting Wayne Hayward
to score with ease.
They came close to increasing
the lead when a
driving maul led by Mark
Donaghue went close to
the line and Mick Holmes
was held up just short. A
penalty was conceded
and Farnborough survived.
Having wind advantage
in the second half,
Eastleigh looked to build
their lead but, from a
line-out five metres out,
the ball was blown off
line in the wind and
Farnbor-ough cleared to
the 22.
This time, a clean take
got the Eastleigh line
moving and, despite a
pass going to ground
backwards, Noonan gathered
and fed Hayward on
the burst, and he powered
his way over for a
fine try. Tim Liston converted.
Farnborough continued
to compete but a
line-out steal and break
by Nick Mucci kept them
in their own half.
The visitors' scrum was
disrupting the Eastleigh
heel and Sean Hayes was
struggling to get the ball
away, but his valiant tackling
round the edges
stopped Farnborough
making progress.
At last, a good ball
gave Noonan space and
his long kick was chased
down by Fudio. A penalty
was forced and Liston
converted from wide out.
By now the wind had
veered to across the
pitch, which made lineout
throwing less fraught.
Russ Smith made a
fine catch on the
Farnborough ball, Paul
Taylor made an excellent
tackle from the back of
the lineout and the pressure
was kept up.
Rich O'Donnell ran
well out of defence and,
from hid kick ahead,
Wayne Rawlins made a
wonderful tackle on the
full-back to put play in
their 22.
Eastleigh gave away a
penalty for not releasing
in midfield were then
taken back 10 to a position
from which Dowan
kicked a good penalty.
Eastleigh nerves started
to jangle when a
scrum was taken against
the head and Alan Angell
raced away from the
cover to score.
With ten minutes left,
Eastleigh tried to run the
clock down and were
twice saved by men of the
moment,Wayne Hayward
running a ball out from a
danger spot and Paul
Fudio ripping the ball
out in a tackle.
The final whistle was a
relief for the big crowd.
The presentations were
carried out in front of the
clubhouse by Mike
Glogg, President of
Hampshire RFU, and
Derek Beaves Senior
Marketing Manager of
Fullers, Smith and
Turner.
After a night of celebration
Eastleigh attention
now turns to their
last league game on
Saturday when they are
at home to Aldershot &
Fleet in the game they
must win to complete the
Plate and League double.
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