Southampton 39 – 19 Ryde
In a sensible world Ryde would not have been in this game. Only able to field thirteen players; some of whom were walking wounded; they came up against fifteen giants plus reserve giants. Southampton, generously, gave Ryde their only small player, and he had never played rugby before…. . Who, then, would have imagined that sixty seconds into the second half Ryde would be 0 - 19 ahead?

Ryde started the game in heavy defence and it remained so throughout almost the entire first half - except for two brief flashes of brilliance. The first came from Knight who, passing many standing giants en route, ran the length of the field to score - True converted. The second came when True took a quick tap penalty, passed, looped around several other static giants, to receive the ball again, and twinkle-toed his way across the line. Half time 0 – 12 to Ryde.

From the second half restart Ryde won the ball, Vyse dinked a kick over the Southampton defence for Knight, again, to streak into the corner. Grant Edwards converted from the touchline and Ryde appeared to be winning comfortably at 0 - 19. The scoreline, though, bore no resemblance whatsoever to the match itself; Ryde were being physically flattened all over the park.

Somewhat belatedly the giants stirred. They began by attacking the tiny, on-loan, winger who, not unreasonably, allowed them to run over him to score the first of what became a multitude of tries – four of which involved the unfortunate little fella. Southampton had, finally, worked out that if Ryde were not allowed to have the ball – they were not going to threaten anywhere. They went on to score six more tries, two converted, to leave Ryde in a defiant but badly bruised huddle.

Beaten? Certainly. Demoralised – no chance.

Matt Hayes, at fullback, was the hero of the day as he felled every single giant at least twice throughout the entire eighty minutes of his game. And with the exception of the guest winger; Hayes is the lightweight of the Ryde side. Some lightweight – Southampton never quite worked him out.

Squad;
D.Walsh, A.Moody, B.Gough, N.Cavaliero, P.Roberts, C.Edwards, L.Baxter, A.Frazer-Woodbridge, D.True, D.Vyse, R.Knight, A.Guest, G.Edwards, M.Hayes.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Ryde entertain Pumas at Victoria Rec’. KO 1415.

Ryde Rugby Union Football Club

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