Despite problems with injuries, this was an excellent season that secured automatic promotion back to the National League and took us to the Powergen Intermediate Cup Semi-Final.
After the heartbreaking last-minute relegation from National 3 South at the very end of last season, Hav had hopes of being in contention for promotion straight back again. Nearly all of the squad that had played in the National 3 campaign remained, although last years captain Joe Duffett was emigrating to New Zealand and Steve Jack was returning there after three good years with the club. However, Matt Morgan, son of coach Simon, committed himself to the cause, Matt Kell returned after a year out and 'Merlin' waved his wand again and secured the services of likely 1st XV players, prop Stuart Ingram, who had national league experience with Whitchurch, and second row Matt Corker who had played for Thanet. Important changes were made in the coaching staff. Owen Cobbe became head coach, supported by Matt Hart, Simon Morgan and Al Holl. For the first time, Hav were entered in the Powergen Intermediate Cup rather than the Senior Cup. The Intermediate Cup is for clubs below National League level and, as such, Hav had an opportunity to go further in a National Cup competition than we would normally do.
HAMPSHIRE'S 'HURRICANE HAV' HALTS HERTFORD'S HOPES.
Click Here for the story of our ultimately successful campaign to get back to National 3, in 3 Chapters.
FROM BOGNOR TO BRADFORD
Click Here for the story of our glorious failure to get to Twickenham.
CHAPTER 1 - HARD GROUNDS AND INJURIES HAVE AN EFFECT
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The dry summer had meant that the grounds for pre-season training, and for the first few games, were harder than usual which brought about a more than usual injury tally as the early matches progressed. The season opened with an away encounter at Camberley, last season's Nat 3 S whipping boys, who had been relegated with us. A narrow 22-16 victory in what was described as 'a war of attrition' was not a good start, but an excellent 52-5 home win over 'pretenders' Worthing, recently promoted as London 2 S champions, made it 2 out of 2 and restored confidence. However this was short lived as Hav gave a poor performance on their first ever visit to unbeaten Canterbury the following week, and lost 10-17; we then also struggled but just managed to overcome 'feisty' new boys Old Albanians 30-24 at Hooks Lane. The next game, away at Staines, was a try-fest with Hav scoring 11 ('Billy' Wes Robertson scoring 4) and Staines 6, in an amazing 73-36 score line, even more amazing when our previous match there, two seasons earlier, ended 6-3 and tryless! 5 matches gone, Hav were on 8 points sharing second place with early leaders Thanet, Bishop's Stortford and Hertford. Canterbury were leading with 10. The other clubs had each played a game more. Not a bad start, but several key players had suffered injuries which were to have an effect through November.
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New skipper, Jon Barfoot made a big contribution to Hav's successful season |
The month opened with a scrappy 29-17 win over London Nigerian at Hooks Lane, where more injuries were incurred, particularly in the backs, such that the back division that turned out the following week at Bishop's Stortford was practically unrecognisable. Hav failed to score a try and went down 9-20. A slightly stronger team was put out two weeks later against Hertford, who were beginning to look like serious contenders, and the narrow, but justified, 20-22 defeat, our only one at home all season, put them in the 'driving seat' for automatic promotion and severely dented our hopes. At the end of November Hertford were just top on points difference from Canterbury, both having played 9 matches with 14 points, Bishop's Stortford had moved up to third on 12pts. Hav had slipped to 4th on points difference from Sutton & Epsom, both on 10pts, but both with a match in hand.
CHAPTER 2 - HAV GET IT TOGETHER, BUT SO DO HERTFORD!
The away game at Thanet at the start of December was the start of a long winning run that kept us in the promotion hunt. Still without some key players, Hav scored eight tries in a 61-16 win. Two weeks later we overcome some pretty awful conditions to beat the already-looking-doomed Harlow, 37-10 at their place, and to complete the half-way point of the season we gained revenge on Bishop's Stortford at Hooks Lane, winning 34-12. That was three wins on the trot, but Hertford were on an even better run, having won their last 9 and were beginning to look unbeatable at the top. Hav were four points behind in 4th but with a game in hand.
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Sid Claffey finished 3rd in league kickers on 199 points |
A solid performance at London Nigerian, where we overcame 'the bog', and with the help of a full set from Sid Claffey (Try, Con, Pen and Drop Goal) won 28-0, was followed by an 8 try romp at home against Staines to win 56-0; two games on the trot which ended in a clean sheet. The next two were more difficult! We just managed to hold out at Old Albanians winning 24-19 in difficult conditions and a close run 21-17 victory at home against Canterbury made it 7 wins on the trot, but Hertford had made it 14 and their juggernaut was rolling on. Sutton & Epsom had now emerged as strong promotion contenders and it was beginning to look like they were going to be fighting Hav for the play-off slot. Worthing, having shown promise after a shaky start to the season, were unable to stop the Hav roll, and we came away with a 30-10 victory, but with severe injuries to Owen Cobbe and Jon Barfoot that looked like would affect our promotion challenge. |
A then league record 75-0 victory at home over relegation doomed Camberley did wonders for the points difference; Dylan Raubenheimer scored 4 in a 12 try spree (57 points coming in the second half. An unexpectedly easy 68-0 home win over Sutton & Epsom, Hav's match in hand, effectively put paid to S&E's aspirations as Hav were now clear in second place with 4 games to go. At this point Hav had won 10 in a row, but Hertford had made it 16, and with that momentum were favourites for the title, although everyone was aware by now that the last game of the season was at Hertford, and a winner take all was a possibility.
CHAPTER 3 - TWISTS AND TURNS THEN ALLELUIA!
Then the wheels appeared to come off the Hav 'wagon', when in the return fixture at Sutton, having scored 12 tries against them the previous week, Hav failed, for the second time this season, to cross their opponents line, and lost their 4th game to go 6 points behind Hertford, with a game in hand, but with only three to play. Hertford had two to play. Our game in hand was against the already doomed Harlow, when all records were broken yet again as we annihilated them 107-0. (Highest score - by 32, highest number of tries -16, highest points score by an individual in a league match - 37 by Sid Claffey). Hertford and Hav now both had two games to play, Hertford were 4 points ahead and hadn't lost for 17 games, and Hav were preparing themselves for a home game in the play-offs. Hav's next game was a relatively easy fixture at home against Thanet, and Hertford were away at Old Albanians, who were making a determined effort to get out of the relegation equation.
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The final fixture was Hertford v Hav, but if both teams won their penultimate match, then it was of no consequence as Hertford would take the automatic promotion place and Hav had to contest the play-off. Hav did all that could be asked of them by beating Thanet 58-0, the fourth successive home game were we had scored over 50 and kept a clean sheet. Our points difference was 600! The news from St Albans after the game was incredible - OAs 5 Hertford 0! The final game of the season was turned into a title decider! The rest is History! A well organised and committed Hav side took the game to their hosts, won 23-16, and took automatic promotion straight back to the National League. Alleluia! |
Celebration of promotion! |
SUMMARY
We came good when it mattered! Provided we can keep most of the squad and coaching staff together, and learn the lessons from last year, we should be able to hold our own in National 3 South next season and further justify our tag of "The Premier team in Hampshire and the South Coast!"
'INTERESTING' LEAGUE STATS
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Keith Molyneux was prolific on the wing |
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No 8 Matt Morgan had an impressive ever-present season. |
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Hav's biggest league defeats were: home, 20-22 against Hertford and away, 9-20 against Bishop's Stortford.
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Click Here to see detailed playing programme and links to Match Reports
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Click Here to see detailed competitive playing stats
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Click Here to see who played where in the league
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Click Here to see final London 1 table.
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Click Here to see the London 1 Season
THE POWERGEN INTERMEDIATE CUP CAMPAIGN
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It started with a somewhat unconvincing victory 50-10, in September, away at London & SE 3 SE neighbours Bognor, followed by a more convincing 60-12 away win at even closer neighbours, London 2 South's Portsmouth, when both sides were severely depleted by injury. We were lucky to get past the next round, when a combative London 1 Old Albanians were only overhauled in the last few minutes at Hooks Lane as Hav scraped through 12-8 and went into the last 32. |
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The 20-7 win at London 4 side, Ruislip, in poor conditions in December, was described as "An 'interesting' afternoon that was probably marginally better than Christmas shopping, although when it rained....!?". We then really struggled to overcome London 2 North's Romford & Gidea Park, coming back from two scores down to win 15-12. We were in the last 8, but hadn't really impressed anybody! However thoughts were beginning to turn towards the possibility of a final at Twickenham in April!. The draw now became 'national' and, for only the second time, we were given a home fixture, against North 2 West's leaders Altrincham and Kersal. With the local media now showing an interest, we gave our best cup performance to date, and we had to, to overcome some spirited opposition to win 33-14 and make Twickenham one game away.
The semi-final draw couldn't have been more difficult. We got North 1 leaders Bradford & Bingley, away. The Bees, employing 4 of the Tongan World Cup squad and an Australian Super 12 fly half, were bulldozing their way into the National Leagues under the Rugby Directorship of ex-England Manager, Geoff Cooke. We raised our game and gave them "their best game of the season", but came second losing 23-39, a score-line that was enhanced by superb 8 minute spell late in the second half when they scored 3 converted tries.
Although failing to realise the 'Twickenham' dream, the trip to Bradford will go down as a 'memorable moment' in the annals of HRFC, and it helped secure a self-belief in the team that they brought into the final match at Hertford, and enabled them to secure promotion!