Ellingham & Ringwood 1st XV welcomed their visitors from the Isle of Wight Sandown and Shanklin to book end their season and to try and avenge one of only four defeats in what has seen the club achieve promotion to the Regional 2 league the highest the men's first team have achieved. With the Raymond Brown Memorial Game bathed in sunshine with a large crowd watching as the visitors had brought over a number of supporters who enjoyed a hot buffet lunch prior to the game.

Like many teams Ellingham have encountered over the season it was to be another attritional game with neither side giving an inch until the 14th minute of the game when the home team had a line out just inside their twenty two the ball was tapped down and Sandown and Shanklin's quick thinking flanker Sam Thomas nipped through a gap in the line out and dashed over to score the first try of the game. This spurred Ellingham into action and Dan Mallard playing at number 8 following some good exchanges with the forwards and backs muscled his way over the line to get the score board rolling for Ellingham & Ringwood and with Chris Frost playing on the wing he was able to convert for the additional two points to give the home team the lead in the 19th minute. Despite the efforts of both teams the scoreboard was not troubled again in the first half, so it remained Ellingham & Ringwood 7 - Sandown & Shanklin 5.

The half time oranges appeared to do the trick for the home team who now attacking their favoured SPECSAVERS end of the ground in the 42nd minute outside centre Chris Seaby showed his pace evaded a number of tackles and scored in the far-right hand corner of the pitch to extend Ellingham's lead. Then fellow centre Adam "The Higgo" Higgins got the home teams third try of the game in the 44th minute with a strong run from deep to cross the line, this time Frost was able to add the extra two points. Then in the 52nd minute flanker Dean Smith got in on the act to earn his team a try bonus point muscling his way over the line which Frost was able to convert to once again extend the lead for the promotion winning home team. The visitors were not going to take this lying down and in the 56th minute they reduced the deficit with their second try, this was followed by a converted try in the 63rd minute to put pressure onto the home side, who by this stage had been reduced to 14 men with Flanker James "Buffy" Bovett being sent to the bin for handling in the ruck.

Sandown and Shanklin continued to press harder and in the 67th minute their scrum half Michael Barrett crossed the line to get the visitors their fourth try of the game. Ellingham sprang back into actioning the 74th minute with Hugo Leigh-Watts playing at full back for this game adding to his fine tally of tries he has scored this season showing his pace and strength to race past the defenders and score the home teams 5th try of the game, which Frost was unable to convert. Hugo "The Bosh" Leigh-Watts was able to repeat this feat three minutes later in the 77th minute and this time Frost's trusty boot did not let him down and he converted to extend the lead. The visitors were not finished and in the 80th minute they scored the last try of the game, making the final result Ellingham & Ringwood 38 - Sandown & Shanklin 27. MOTM Andrew Lorton (pictured).

After the game the team celebrated in various Disney character costumes which was a bit Mickey Mouse, but the players appeared to enjoy themselves. So the season closed on a high there will little time to rest on our laurels with the step up in the standard of rugby to come in September there will need to be hard work during the closed season on fittness and improving players skill set, but that can wait for a couple of weeks!

So Swede will sign of the season leaving the players wondering who will be getting the Treasured Swede Trophy at the end of season and thinking who might be named and shamed for the off-field antics that a select few Swede has noticed doing something that warrants a mention.

Cheers
Swede