Guernsey happy to win ugly in Foote's Lane mud

Guernsey 28, Weybridge Vandals 12

A MUD-CAKED Guernsey moved a step closer to safety in London Three South-West with a crucial win on Saturday. With bottom-side Weybridge Vandals the visitors to Foote's Lane, expectations were high in the Sarnian camp in the lead up to the game.

However, the conditions on the day could easily have been a cause for concern.

It was hardly an afternoon for the expansive rugby with which Guernsey are attempting to play themselves out of trouble, but they still showed a willingness to spread the ball around and, perhaps more importantly, the forwards stepped up with a mammoth performance.

The result was four tries to nil, two vital league points and also a huge confidence boost.

'We had to win. Emotions perhaps got the better of people in the first half and we gave away too many penalties, but in the end it was a tremendous result,' said captain Andy Bailey.

On a saturated pitch, which was reserved for the game only since the teams warmed up on the club's own patch, the hosts started positively and twice attacked the right-hand corner in the opening couple of minutes only to be bundled into touch just yards from the line.

But they did not have to wait long for the breakthrough as, from a five-yard scrum, number eight Jim Regnard broke off, rolled through a tackle and dived over.

The Vandals' response was impressive as fullback William Twydell took advantage of some Guernsey indiscipline to slot home two penalties and edge his side ahead after 12 minutes.

He then extended the lead halfway through the half with his third successful attempt, but Alec Bailey replied almost immediately with three points of his own to narrow the gap.

By now the pitch had already churned up and more errors were creeping into the game as a heavy shower swept across Foote's Lane, but Guernsey retained their concentration long enough for an impressive pushover try from a catch-and-drive lineout. Darren Jones emerged from the bottom of the pile with the ball.

Five minutes before the break, both sides were reduced to 14 as H. Morgan and Garth Lindemann were sin-binned for a bout of fisticuffs. In the tough conditions, it was a credit to the teams that that was the only real sign of trouble.

On the stroke of half-time, Alec Bailey increased the cushion to seven points with his second penalty thanks to an immense scrum, which Guernsey won against the head on their opponents' five-metre line.

Although Twydell struck back immediately after the turnaround with his fourth success from five penalty attempts, it was to be the visitors' final score as Guernsey turned the screw.

Another textbook catch-and-drive from a five-metre lineout ended with, surprisingly, captain Bailey burrowing for a try, converted by his brother.

With a quarter of the match remaining, wing Barry Goude completed the scoring by winning his sprint for the corner for a try that could be traced back to a wonderful rumble from inside their own half by the Guernsey forwards.

Moving the ball through phase after phase, they made a good 40 metres before finally being halted illegally 15 metres from the line. The skipper took a quick tap before scrum half Rupert Iles sent Goude on his way.

'The forwards performed brilliantly and it was generally a superb team effort,' said Bailey, who was a man-of-the-match contender from fullback along with number eight Regnard.

'To be fair to the guys, they did look to play attacking rugby despite the conditions and at times we showed good hands out there.

'We possibly forced it a bit too much at times, but defensively nothing was coming through us all day and it is defence that wins you games.'