Captain Smart bows out leaving CPR with best league postion to date

Cinque Ports 7 - 19 Bognor III
h/t 0 -19

CINQUE PORTS end their best ever season against the league runners up with a good result

Cinque Ports played their last league game of the season, in the unfamiliar surroundings of Rye due to their Grove School home pitch now being the school running track. What was already a game of high emotions, with CPR aiming for third place had added emotional heft with iconic captain Paul Smart announcing his (partial) retirement. Smart led a strong squad out on to the pitch, fully conscious of the crushing defeat Bognor had handed out last October. CPR looked to shackle a strong Bognor back row, Bognor seemed to focus all their attacks through their powerful eighth man and flankers but a CPR unit made up of Dale Whittington, Dean Dedman and Craig Barningham cut off their runs forcing Bognor to reply on kicking. This kicking game saw Bognor control possession and territory. Whittington contested strongly at the line out along with Kevin Parker but Bognor were far more adept at holding on to possession. Eventually they broke through from close range, and through the half added another two tries all from a position of territorial advantage. CPR were providing Bognor with serious problems though, Smart looked to release the influential Greg Stokes and the elusive Christiaan Brandt. Brandt's injury, saw full back Carl Malthouse regularly join the attack- on one occasion almost releasing Lloyd Barthropp. Barthropp was also strong defensively putting in a number of strong tackles, and providing good support at the break down. Despite Smart's teasing and probing runs CPR could not break through and ended the half scoreless.

The second half was similar but a number of substitutions saw CPR offer more of a cutting edge. Bognor still held control of the majority of possession, but Murray Whittington was finding in gaps in the defence forcing the West Sussex side on to the back foot. During this slightly scrappy period an off the ball incident seemed to fire up Whittington even more, and it came as no surprise when his brother Callum Davies broke into space down the Bognor blind side that Murray was there to finish in the corner. Smart slotted a difficult conversion. Davies also provided a spark when he replaced Chris Eastwood, sniping at the fringes and unceremoniously dumping the Bognor 8 in a crunching tackle. As the game drew to a close CPR looked to break down the defence but a strong Bognor team held them out, both Stokes and Smart being targeted to prevent them unleashing the by now unstoppable Murray Whittington. When the final whistle blew Bognor had secured second place, but knew they had been in an almighty scrap to ensure the second spot.

Team Manager Gavin Thomas was quick to praise Smart and the rest of the team "I think this performance typifies Paul's time as captain and the squad as a whole- uncompromising, confident with a commitment to attractive attacking rugby. I think this game is a very real springboard for next season". Head Coach Bill Langley “This match has demonstrated just how far Cinque Ports Rugby has come in just four seasons. We are able to complete against the bigger Sussex clubs such as Bognor and Heathfield and come out with very respectable results. We will take a short break now until early July."


Cinque Ports is looking to recruit players both for the First XV and also for the new second team to play in the Sussex Vet’s League in 2010/11.

www.cinqueportsrugby.co.uk

Team: Lawlor, Giles, Wright (Earle), Whyte, Parker, Dedman, D Whittington (Ryan), Barningham, Eastwood (Davies), Smart, Stokes, Brandt (Diedericks), Barthropp (Price), Dangerfield (M Whittington), Malthouse (Waughman)
Subs not used: Thomas, Fink, Sutherland, Morley

8TH MAY 2010.