On the final day of the league season, Southampton hosted league champions Ellingham & Ringwood.

Saints lined up for the final game of the season with 2 injured scrum halves on the bench. But unlike his experiment against Fareham, Coach Harris decided it may be better to play flanker Dan Keepax at centre with Pierre Molyneux at scrum half.

Ellngham immediately showed that they meant business, as their kicker struck a penalty home after 3 minutes. They increased their lead shortly after, allbeit against the run of play. With the home side threatening, Ellingham kicked the ball clear but missed touch on the right wing. As Alex Scott ran on to collect the bouncing ball, it suddenly took a devilish bounce in the opposite direction and into the grateful arms of the Ellingham full back. He raced home from 60 yards for the game's first try under the posts. The successful conversion took the score to 0-10.

But despite the unfortunate start, Saints continued in the powerful style that has caused opponents so many problems this year. From good ruck ball the pack picked and drove in short bursts. Captain Marcus Coffin thought he had scored after a pick and drive, but he was stopped short, only for Pierre to gather the ball and dive over under the posts himself. The conversion made it 7-10.

The home side generally had the better of possession and kept the champions pegged back in their own half. But when a miss pass from Griff bounced off an unwitting back's back, the ball fell kindly for the Ellingham winger, who had burst through the line. It was now a straight race between him and Jules, but the Saints pace-man couldn't make up any ground and E&R strecthed their lead once more. Another conversion and the score was 7-17 at half time.

The second half continued in much the same fashion, with Saints applying all the pressure but often struggling to make the final decisive break. It came following a line out on the Ellingham 5 yard line, when the ball was spun out to makeshift centre Dan Keepax coming at pace. His angle took him between tacklers and under the posts and suddenly Saints were back within 3 points at 14-17.

Although Saints had all the play in the second half, the killer blow came with minutes left on the clock. The ball was overturned in midfield and kicked over the Ellingham back line. With Graham Harris screaming "DON'T KICK AWAY POSSESSION!!!", Pierre closed in on the gathering winger, made himself as big as possible and charged the clearence down. He collected it and dived over the line to give Saints a slender lead. The conversion was missed, ensuring a tense final few minutes with the score at 19-17.

Following the restart, Saints gathered but were immediately penalised for offside. Knowing it would be the last kick of the game, the Ellingham captain tossed the ball to his fly half, who lined up a potential match-winner directly in front of a partisan home crowd. He struck it well enough but the ball faded left at the very last, leaving the scores 19-17 and handing Saints an end-of-season victory against the league champions for the second year running.

The final table sees Ellingham & Ringwood promoted as Champions, Sandown & Shanklin facing a play off against Old Alleynians. Farnborough and Fareham Heathens are relegated while Southampton are left contemplating how to improve on a somewhat disapointing sixth place....

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