This is the unusual saga of a team that ended the season as a league's second highest try scorers and with the fifth best points difference, but where the fates conspired to relegate them in the last minute of the league season

After being promoted as champions of London 1 the previous season, Hav had no reason to believe that they couldn't 'hold their own' at a higher level. Nearly all of the squad that achieved promotion remained, although Denville Elleston had had to retire through injury, and Steve Boydell, who hadn't played in 2001-02, finally announced his retirement through injury at the beginning of the season. However, 'Merlin' had waved his wand again and secured the services of likely 1st XV players in Zimbabwean international wing Wes Robertson, second-row Nick Allica from Waterloo and centre Neil McRoberts from Camberley. Joe Duffett remained captain for a second season.

The saga can be told in four distinct chapters.

CHAPTER 1 - A PROMISING START

The Hav faithful had no reason to be really concerned when first 'Fortress Hooks Lane' was breached, for the first time in the league for over a season, by a strong North Walsham side, (3rd the previous season), who won 30-39; and then when we lost a close 'slog in the bog', 5-16, at Weston -super Mare. A 50-0 thrashing of an already doomed looking Camberley, at Hooks Lane, restored confidence (a hat-trick for Wes Robertson). It was 'so far, so good'. Nearly a third of the season gone, and we'd more than held our own. 

However, it was becoming apparent that the second half of the season was going to be tougher, as we would have to play both likely promotion candidates,Rosslyn Park and Lydney twice, both unbeaten at that stage, and the rapidly improving Blackheath, twice.  

CHAPTER 2 - HAV LOSE THEIR WAY

The next game was even worse, a home reverse 9-13 to a Redruth side that hadn't won away until that point. The pitches had softened considerably from those at the start of the season, and we were showing that we weren't able to adjust our game. A false dawn appeared as we won a close away game 21-17 at Old Colfeians. Dave Jones dropped a goal, but also incurred an 'achilles' injury that was to keep him out for the rest of the season. There followed an awful performance at home against Westcombe Park when, after leading 16-11at half time, we stayed in the changing room for the second half and lost 16-30. 

It would be wrong to say that we didn't compete in the next few games, but the 'fates' were against us as we incurred further injuries and some strange refereeing decisions, and had to play on some pretty heavy pitches. 14-23 away at Old Patesians was creditable, given that they didn't lose much at home all season. We then narrowly lost 19-21 at home to old rivals Basingstoke, and even more narrowly 22-23 at home to Tabard. (Just see what we did to both those sides at their place at the end of the season once the grounds hardened!) Hooks Lane was then treated to something of a master-class by unbeaten Rosslyn Park, who convincingly won 44-15 for our heaviest defeat of the season. At this point Hav had played 17, won 6 and had sunk to 10th, and we weren't sure where the next points were to come from. Of the 9 games remaining 6 were against teams placed in the top 4 in the league.       

CHAPTER 3 - THE NEARLY MEN

Then came the game that caused us to believe in ourselves, although the gods were still looking the other way. Blackheath were lying third and had won their previous eight. We took them on at their place, and gave them a fright! Leading 22-3, with less than 20 minutes to go, we ran out of steam, and Blackheath clawed their way back to draw 22-22.  A team ravaged by injuries then gave 4th place North Walsham a run for their money at their place, losing only 8-19. Meanwhile, teams below us were having a reversal of fortune, and we sank to 2nd from bottom. Supporters started to become increasingly more aware of how relegation might take effect. A detailed prediction of the remaining games for Nat 3 South, and the bottom clubs in Nat 2, showed that we had a good chance of escaping relegation if we won four of our remaining 7 games and others went with form. Considering we had not won for seven consecutive games this looked like a tall order, but the team had started to play with increasing confidence, and word had got out that we had signed ex London Irish fly half Owen Cobbe, who was expected to make a contribution in some of the remaining games. 

The return fixture against Blackheath, at Hooks Lane, was another close game for most of the 80 minutes, but we tired towards the end, and they won 21-10. We didn't expect much from our next encounter, an away game at leaders Rosslyn Park, especially as the injury blight was again taking effect. The 'old warrior', Will Knight, was brought out of 'retirement' to play his first league game for over 3 years, and equipped himself commendably, as did the rest of the side who contained Park to 11-33, and came away with their heads held high.     

CHAPTER 4 - GRANDSTAND FINISH NOT QUITE ENOUGH

Hav were now second from bottom, above already doomed Camberley, and 5 points adrift from a group of clubs above them. Predictions were showing that, at worst, only one club was likely to be relegated from Nat 2 into Nat 3 South, and that the 4th from bottom club in Nat 3 South would be safe, no matter what happened in the Nat 3 play off. It was shown that winning 4 more matches would still, most likely, be sufficient for Hav, but there were only 5 to go!.

Hav magnificently failed at the first hurdle! They were as good as Lydney were on the day, and were winning with minutes to go, but Lydney dropped a goal to make it 16-17 and Owen Cobbe just failed to do the same shortly before the final whistle. We were now relying on other results, as well as winning our own last three. We won them in style! 42-19 at Tabard, 67-7 at home to Weston Super Mare and, sweetest of all, a 51-15 thrashing of recently crowned Hampshire Cup Winners, Basingstoke, at their place. But, a critical result in Nat 3 South didn't go our way on the last day of the Nat 3 South season. Old Colfeians, hammered by Blackheath in the Kent Cup the previous week, beat them 28-27 to make them safe and leave Hav still second from bottom.

Still all hope was not lost! If Lydney were to win the National 3 Clubs play-off and a northern club were to finish 3rd from bottom of National 2 after the last games on April 26th, Hav would survive. Lydney, perhaps against the odds, won the play-off, but, after heartbraking last minute action at Nottingham (who won), and Launceston (who lost), Launceston were relegated, dooming Hav to London 1 next season.

SUMMARY

We showed that, with the exception of Champions Rosslyn Park, we could compete against anyone in National 3 South. We got the results at the beginning and end of the season, when the pitches were firm, but just failed in too many matches on the softer grounds. Analysis shows that if we had shown more discipline at critical moments and had kicked a higher percentage of our attempts at goal during this period, we would have survived. Further analysis shows that if the bonus points system that is applied in the premiership and National 1 were applied to Nat 3 South Hav would have finished 9th! Provided we can keep the team together, there's no reason why we shouldn't bounce straight back, and stay there! 

'INTERESTING' LEAGUE STATS

• Hav's biggest defeats were: home, 15-44 against Rosslyn Park and away, 16-39 against Redruth.

• Click Here to see detailed playing programme and links to Match Reports

• Click Here to see detailed competitive playing stats

• Click Here to see who played where in the league

• Click Here to see final Nat 3 South table.

• Click Here to see the Nat 3 South Season