Trojans 17 Andover 38

A sparkling second half display saw Saxon Safety sponsored Andover sweep away the challenge of a well drilled Trojans side to comfortably gain their first win on the road this season.

Andover travelled with a youthful looking squad sporting several changes from the home win over Milbrook last weekend, including a debut for academy graduate Giorgio Francis Pollin from the bench. 

In fine weather both teams looked to run the ball from the outset with Andover looking very threatening but their own inaccuracy just let them down when well placed.

On fifteen minutes though Andover did break through and what a score it was.

Isaac Demesi counter attacked a long defensive kick and set Harvey Maloney away on a fifty meter break leaving several defenders in his wake to score.

Trojans responded well with Andover being unable to keep sustained possession and on the half hour the home side scored a converted try of their own to take the lead.

Five minutes later Andover struck again after a lineout steal where Callum Barber Starkey and Elliot Byrne combined to allow man of the match Evan Roll to finish neatly.

Trojans roared back at Andover and after a spell of pressure was met with an incredible defensive effort, involving full back Bryn Waite and skipper CJ Feirn, they were forced to kick for goal to retake the lead.

Still Andover were getting turned over too often and just before half time they paid the price as Trojans took what looked like a comfortable lead. 

Andover had other ideas. They introduced Francis Pollin to the back row and moved Barber Starkey to hooker giving Andover a very mobile hard running front five and the impact was immediate.

Andover suddenly looked sharper at the breakdown where Louis Shinton was becoming a menace and when Maloney won Andover a penalty they went through the phases before Sean Higgins flashed the ball to Roll for his second try which he converted himself.

Waite’s counter attacking was a constant thorn for the home side setting up field position, so there were a few quizzical voices when he fielded a long ball and decided to kick ahead. They were soon quietened however as the full back sprinted forwards from sixty meters gathered and was just held short of the line, to feed Francis Pollin for a lovely try again with Roll on target.

Andover, prompted by the excellent Harry Ward, hit their straps as the spirited Trojans challenge started to falter.

Feirn galloped over after more fine work from Maloney and Roll with Roll converting, before Roll himself incurred a huge fine for getting held up on the line for what would have been his hattrick.

Soon after though Andover did strike again this time through a blistering sprint from Demesi to finish under the posts with Roll converting to leave Andover in the end comfortable winners.

Afterwards Director of Rugby Andy Waite said ‘ we struggled a bit for continuity in the first half despite battling well, but we have some real leaders out their. WE decided to tweak what were doing at the breakdown ay half time and the game changed. We looked really dangerous after that and congratulations to Giorgio on his debut try.’