Gardner saves day

CARL GARDNER kicked two late penalties to grab a point for an unconvincing but determined Guernsey side at Foote's Lane on Saturday. The second came with 45 minutes on the second-half clock and Gosport offials screaming, 'look at your watch ref'.

Gardner, who played at scrum half in the absence of regular No. 9, Aussie Rob Brazier, admitted he was feeling the pressure as he prepared to snatch something for his side from just to the right of the posts, 30 metres out.

'It was definitely a nervy one,' said the hero of the hour, whose match-saving six points had some visiting players claiming the kicks did not go through the posts.

'I would have said the one at the end was the debatable one,' said the kicker. 'Their No. 8 created a bit about that one,' he added.

Minutes earlier, the penalty which hauled Guernsey to within three points was given, despite one of the touch judges ruling it should not count.

But a point was the least his side deserved, said a somewhat relieved skipper, Andy Bailey.

'I'm disappointed with a point but we put ourselves under so much pressure,' said the wing, who is confident the team will improve quickly once the many new faces gel.

Gosport had raced into a 9-0 lead, courtesy of a hat-trick of penalties from the visiting kicker, Vance.

But while Gosport, who came into the game with an identical record as the home side, had an impressive kicker in Vance and pack, they lacked penetration in the three-quarters.

In a first half littered with knock-ons Guernsey got off the mark with a try set up by Gardner's quickly taken penalty and finished off by Bailey.

Gardner missed the conversion but on the brink of half-time he made no mistake after Bailey had added his second try and Guernsey were 12-9 to the good at the break.

With the wind at their backs for the second period the Garenne Stand masses had every reason to expect several more home tries, but they had to settle for just one.

With the half five minutes old a converted try had put Gosport 16-12 ahead, but not for long as Jim Elliott went over to make it 17-16.

For the next 20 minutes Guernsey hardly moved out of their own half and, as the visiting forwards dominated, a push-over try, again converted by Vance, edged them 23-17 ahead.

There was little inspiration in Guernsey's play but as they finally won some ball and moved deep into the Gosport half, the penalties were given away much to Gardner and the green-and-whites' delight.

The result leaves Guernsey struggling, next to bottom in the table, although just two points cover seven teams.