Thriller as islanders seal it late on to sink Hundred

By GRAHAM PRATT

Rochford H…………..26

Guernsey……………..40

An ideal afternoon for fast, running rugby saw 10 tries scored in an even and hard-fought encounter as Gurnsey won at Rochford Hundred.

The two sides were neck and neck until the last few nail-biting minutes when the superior experience and determination of the visitors told.

Guernsey started at a pace and scored within two minutes through a Thomas Ceillan try which Owen Thomas converted.

More sustained pressure saw Ciaran McGann go over in the 15th minute and Thomas added the extra to take a 14-0 lead. Rochford replied in the 17th minute with a try from Damien Brambley which Chris Dudman converted.

Rochford kept up the pressure and scrumhalf Ricki Gould scored a try after 26 minutes, Dudman converting again to level the scores.

Not to be outdone, Guernsey came back with a try from Charlie Davies in the 37th minute but Rochford scored a try through Paul Bradley just on half-time to make it 21-21.

The visitors started the second session strongly with another try by Ceillan and 10 minutes later McGann went over for his second, duly converted by Thomas to take his team to a 33-21 lead. The score stayed that way until late in the half when Rochford's Robert Gardner crashed over in 73rd minute.

The home side went all out to try to draw the game but Guernsey held their nerve and came back in added time to score in the corner through Hugo Culverhouse and Thomas converted superbly from the touchline to give Guernsey an important away win.