ROYAL NAVY 16 - PANTHERS 50

This was history in the making - the first time the Royal Navy had reached the 3rd round and to play against a team from the Championship.

Although going down  16 - 50 the Navy gave a great account of themselves and their never-say-die attitude stood them in good stead.

Although not matching the technical abilities of their opponents, reflecting in the Panthers being 12 -0 up on 4 minutes through tries by Andy Hobson and Casey Mayberry, their tuff and sometimes strong arm tactics ruffled their illustrious opponents and the first half almost ended in a mass brawl.

After the initial onslaught the Navy settled and got some much needed pocession and were rewarded after 10 minutes when a neat grubber kick from Botwood was badly defended and John Humphrey collected a difficult ball to score out wide. Botwood converted with an excellent kick almost on the touchline. Mayberry then crossed for his second try after 20 minutes but this time Hemingway missed the conversion.

The second quarter was perhaps the Navy's best part of the game and without Hobson the visitors found themselves on the backfoot for much of the period. The Navy's reward was a well taken try for centre Tom Boyce, Botwood adding the extras. This score followed a few tense minutes resulting in the referee handing yellow cards to Goss (RN) and McCully(Panthers) as the game threatened to boil over. Half time came just in time!!

The second half then belonged to the visitors and early pressure resulted in tries for McCully and a further try for Mayberry, both convrted by Hemingway. Following a series of penalties the next 20 minutes sealed the game for Panthers benefiting from sustained pocession. Hobson bagged his 2nd try whilst Mayberry completed his hat-trick and with further tries for Damien Munroe, Jonny Leather and Kurt Haggerty as well as three conversions for Hemingweay, Blackpool had then reached 50 points.

A consolation try then folled for the Navy when a break on the right saw John Humphrey put Aaron Hanson away, he outstripped the cover defence and touched down for Botwood to convert the try.

What was a potentially difficult tie saw the Panthers victorious and the very long trip to Portsmouth was worthwhile.

Man of the Match - John Clough