Backs run riot with 13 tries to please Box

Guernsey 78, Sandown & Shanklin 8

THIRTEEN tries, fantastic back play and two more points to stay top of the Hampshire One table. No wonder coach Rob Box wore a big smile.

'I'm pleased, very pleased.

'That wasn't a strong Sandown and Shanklin side but we played the sort of fluent rugby which we were playing at the start of the season,' said a delighted Box, who pointed to the return of Stewart Lloyd-Jones and James Regnard as the spark his team needed after the disappointing draw at Millbrook last time out.

Both men were excellent in the Foote's Lane romp, but the basis of the try-glut was the forwards' fine work.

'The platform the forwards gave the backs was very good,' said the coach, who meet more Isle of Wight opposition in a fortnight's time.

New full-back Paul Livesey notched a hat-trick of tries, while skipper Carl Johnson and wing Jim Elliott both helped themselves to a brace and two of those combined for the score of the game.

Guernsey were already 35-8 to the good when, on the brink of half-time, Johnson broke the Sandown and Shanklin line and raced fully 70 metres before unloading.

The pass left was not great, but without breaking his stride, Livesey picked the ball off his shoelaces and raced the remaining 25 metres to score.

Guernsey had been ahead as early as the second minute, Lloyd-Jones slotting over a penalty.

The first try came midway through the half. The ball was worked left through the backs and although Holden was held up just short of the line Livesey went over. Lloyd-Jones missed the conversion.

Three minutes later Dave Willis went over in the left corner for a 13-0 lead and this time the fly-half converted.

Gareth Thomas briefly reduced the deficit with a penalty but in quick succession Elliott and Livesey, the latter with an eye-catching dart for the line, added further tries.

With Lloyd-Jones converting just one of those scores the green-and-whites led 27-3.

Just before the break Greg Dean grabbed the Isle of Wight side's solitary try of the game at the end of a 10m push by the visiting forwards, but their joy was shortlived.

Straight from the restart a visiting player spilled the attempted take and replacement Thomas gathered the loose ball before racing clear on the right for a converted try.

Livesey's second try moments later gave Guernsey a 41-8 lead at the break and Box the opportunity to give his replacements a run out.

But there was no let-up in the onslaught.

Lloyd-Jones went over for his only try and then Ben Mahy did likewise.

Regnard ploughed his way through and centre Andy Bailey also got in on the act.

By now the kicking duties had passed to Bailey who caught the Lloyd-Jones bug and missed three out of three before passing on the responsibility to Thomas, who did no better.

Johnson scored a superb solo try from halfway for a 66-8 lead and in the dying moments Elliott got his second.

There was still time for another Johnson spectacular.

The big Kiwi ran 60 metres through the heart of a Sandown and Shanklin defence who had long been dreaming of their post-match pint and the return journey.

Lloyd-Jones, rightly restored to the kicking duties, converted for the fifth time.