Hove Hangover Trophy Tournament
Hove Hangover XV 26 - 21  Cinque Ports
Shoreham 22 - 5  Cinque Ports

For the second year in succession Cinque Ports roused themselves early to make the journey to Hove for the annual Hangover Trophy. The charity event has become quite an event in the rugby calendar for Cinque Ports, this year a full squad of 15 made the journey. Tournament tradition dictates that sides should also field guest players and for a second year Plumpton prop Steve Cropper ran out for CPR joined this year by Uckfield forward Dave Cooke. The challenge was a stiff one though with the vast majority of opposition players playing their rugby in the intermediate league. Cinque Ports kicked off the day facing the hosts. A very sizeable, experienced Hove pack looked to run the ball directly and despite strong defence from Murray Whittington and his brother Dale they ran in an early try. Despite their early dominance in the set piece Hove did not have it all their own way, and Ben Hanny and Murray Whittington both made galloping runs.   Whittington jinking and stepping, Hanny ploughing through the oppositon. It was Hanny who quickly made the difference too, quick ball from a ruck to Paul Smart allowed the veteran schemer to release Hanny who slalomed through the defence. On the stroke of half time Hove scored another but the game was in the balance.  Hove made a number of changes including a raft of Norfolk Arms players, CPR introducing the powerful Cropper. This seemed to make a difference as the scrum provided a platform. From this platform Dale Whittington made a skittering run as he received the ball in space and strolled home from 30 Yards out. Smart made his second conversion. Cinque Ports were in control at this point and a number of opportunities prevented themselves. Rob Fink was unlikely not to find Chris Eastwood with the line open and Martyn Chambers could not finish a move that the rampaging Hanny had started. Murray Whittington could finish though and a loose kick gave him the room to outstep the desperate defence and score under the posts. Smart again converted. With a defeat looking a possibility for Hove they again made a number of changes and a quick score brought them back in the game but they still trailed by two. With the clock ticking down the hosts did run through to score a fourth try to edge out a very combative CPR side.

Team Game 1: Giles (Cropper), Langley, Tritton, Cooke, Pantry-Meyer, Thomas, D Whittington, Barningham, Eastwood, Smart, Chambers (Mahoney), Hanny, Price, Fink, M Whittington

In the second game CPR also started very competitively against an intermediate league side. Shoreham scored from a blind side rumble but Fink playing at scrum half demonstrated some soccer skills and determination to fly hack a ball clear before bumping off a number of Shoreham players to score. Smart missed the difficult conversion.  The game became increasingly difficult as conditions deteriorated and the ball became soaplike. Despite this Hanny still looked to crash the ball and Smart was a dangerous presence stepping though gaps and snaffling ball from the floor. Murray Whittington also put in a number of massive tackles on the Shoreham danger man. Despite these efforts Shoreham did run in a number of tries to clinch the game.  In the deciding game Hove again edged out Shoreham to hold onto the trophy.

Team Manager Gavin Thomas praised the efforts of Hove in organising the trophy. "We run our own competition and know how difficult it is to organise, Hove did wonders raising money for Martlets Hospice and really showed what a wonderful positive game rugby is too." He also praised the efforts of the players "To bring 15 along for an 11 30am Kick off on New Years Day shows real commitment and determination. We also ran very good opposition close and proved we are worthy competitors at this level. It was also good to see the return on Rob Tritton after fracturing his Sternum 10 weeks ago. He showed real power and scrummaging ability from the off"

Team Game 2: Cropper, Langley, Giles, Cooke, Pantry-Meyer (Thomas), Tritton, D Whittington, Barningham, Fink, Smart, Chambers, Hanny, Price, Mahoney, M Whittington    Next Saturday CPR return to league action when Hove V travel to the Club’s St Leonards Academy ground for a 2.15 KO.