Blues bounce back in 12-try thriller
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
It was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon of rugby, but the Blues were guilty of shipping too many penalties at the breakdown.
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Hide AdThe Blues made 11 changes to the team that lost to Wimborne. Josh Carden, Liam Barker, Owen Tucker and Joe Hunter came into the forwards, with Josh Stops, Joel Andrews, Tyrese Makasi and James Crundwell in the backs and Ethan Carpenter, Robbie Hawkshaw and Matereti Waqanisau on the bench.
After rain, the sun came out and Andover kicked off up the slope on a balmy afternoon for this Regional 2 South Central tussle.
Chichester received the ball and advanced with urgency. After 5 phases, Owen Tucker received it, carried it into contact in the opposition red zone and offloaded to Joe Hunter who burst between two defenders and ran in under the posts, converted by Minton.
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Hide AdTyrese Makasi, making his debut as a centre, carved through the defence but two promising attacks were ended by knock-ons.
Chichester infringements at the breakdown allowed the visitors to advance up the pitch and after a second penalty lineout in Vultures’ Corner they mauled over to score, converted to make it 7-7.
For the next 15 minutes, play ebbed and flowed – until the deadlock was broken when an Andover kick was collected by Jack Swain and carried up to halfway. From the ruck, Stops spun the ball to Minton who passed to the speedster Andrews, who broke a tackle and stepped the full-back on his way to the line, and it was converted by Minton.
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Hide AdChichester upped the pressure, running the ball at every opportunity. Andrews’ second try came on 33 minutes when Minton’s looping pass sailed over five defenders for a score out wide, converted by Minton, 21-7.
A Blues’ infringement in front of the posts on 36 minutes allowed the visitors to reduce the deficit by three points but there was time for Chichester to secure a try bonus point before half-time. Andover’s No 8 spilled the ball on the 22m line after a massive hit from Nemo Gent, and the ball was moved across the field. From the breakdown, Stops passed to MoM Luca Fleming for a try in the corner, and it was 26-10 at the break.
The second half was three minutes old when the referee sent a Chi player to the sin bin and Andover slotted the penalty. Andover were unable to capitalise on their man advantage and on 53 minutes Stops dotted down in Vultures’ Corner after some hard work from the forwards in the centre – 31-13.
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Hide AdChichester crossed the try line four minutes later after Zac Conley stole the ball at a lineout on the 10m line, and 5 quick passes moved the ball across the pitch to Fleming, on the wing. He beat two defenders to score, converted by Minton.
Blues infringed and Andover kicked for the corner but again, Chichester stole the ball – but the clearance kick was charged down and grounded by the opposition for a try, converted for 38-20.
A tackle infringement saw Andover lose a player to the sin bin. Chichester threw the kitchen sink at the visitors and Swain caught a defensive clearance in his own half. Having advanced 25m he was felled by a tap tackle but offloaded to Liam Barker who continued the attack. It went from Minton to James Crundell and to Makasi, who brushed off the defenders to score, 43-20.
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Hide AdWith 11 minutes left Blues gifted Andover another converted try. Having lost a player to the sin bin, Chichester infringed 15m out and were marched back for dissent allowing the visitors to maul over the line from the tap penalty, 43-27.
On 74 minutes Conley put a deft grubber kick through the Andover defence for Fleming to chase, collect and dot down under the posts, converted by Minton.
Chichester infringed and Andover kicked for a lineout in the corner, from where they mauled the ball to the line and, after a couple of pick and goes, scored the final try.