By Lieutenant Commander Dave Philpot

An invitation to participate in Jersey RFC’s 125 year celebrations provided an ideal opportunity for Navy Academy players to experience a build up similar to an inter service fixture.

Within two minutes of the start Gareth Fear had scored and Tim Southall converted. Jersey then pressed deep into Navy territory and were finally rewarded when Walker converted a penalty on 12 minutes.

The Navy came straight back with Southall leaving two defenders grasping at air and running in under the posts to convert his own score. Then on 24 minutes good clean ball from a Navy lineout on Jersey’s 22 metre line allowed Southall to break through the Jersey defence and again score and successfully convert. The half was brought to an abrupt end when Jersey’s Allo suffered a dislocation and break to his left leg requiring quick and effective medical attention which was provided by the Navy’s team doctor Penny Atkinson.

With a 21-3 half time advantage, a series of Navy penalties brought Jersey back inside the Navy 22 metre line and with Justin Doney sinbinned for killing the ball, the islanders’ spirits lifted. The Navy repelled a series of assaults until, after 61 minutes, Jersey produced an excellent driving maul which began on the Navy’s 22 metre line and resulted in Andireux scoring in the corner. An excellent conversion attempt by Walker hit the post.

Navy speedster, James Hearsay, then collected the ball off the ground and ran in from halfway to score. The Navy continued to pressure Jersey’s defence and were rewarded on 73 minutes when quick ball from the ruck came to Southall who set Fear free to score in the corner.

Man of the match was Royal Navy fly half Tim Southall and the referee was Hampshire’s Ray Hall.