‘We feel we belong at this level’ – Havant RFC head coach Knight salutes return to winning ways in London & SE Premier

Winger Scott Morris crossed for two tries in a 26-12 victory over third-bottom Maidenhead at Hooks Lane, taking his seasonal tally to seven.

Second row Richard Janes and flanker Pete Austin also touched down - Joel Knight adding three conversions - in a game where Havant led 21-0 at the interval.

It was a perfect way to end a ‘frustrating’ run of narrow losses - by two points to Wimbledon, one point to Dorking and two points to Tring.

‘We played some really good rugby,’ enthused head coach Will Knight. ‘It was really encouraging.

‘When we play as well as we can, we play some of the best rugby I’ve seen in the league this season. It’s a good brand of rugby.

‘They (Maidenhead) came back at us in the second half but at no point did I feel we were going to lose the game.

‘There were a lot of scoring opportunities that could have changed the complexion of the game completely.

‘We had two tries disallowed after we had driven over from a line-out.’

Havant’s win took them back into the top six after nine games of their first season back at London & SE Premier level.

‘If you had said before the season started would I be happy with our position now, I would probably have said ‘yes’,’ remarked Knight.

‘We feel we belong in this league and are comfortable at this level.

‘But we also genuinely feel we’ve had opportunities to be much further up the league.

‘In all the games we’ve lost, we feel we could and should have won them.’

Knight believes there is stronger competition for places this season due to the impressive start the club’s 2nd XV - the Dolphins - have made in Hampshire Premier.

They top the table with a 100 per cent record after ending Gosport & Fareham’s own winning start to the campaign at the weekend.

For the first time, 2nd XVs are allowed to win promotion from the top flight of the county league - meaning the Dolphins could be playing in the London SW Leagues in 2022/23.

‘The boys (in the 1st XV) know they can’t afford to train or play poorly,’ said Knight. ‘And that’s a brilliant place for us a coaching team to be in.

‘The outcomes of the Dolphins games are really, really important for the club.

‘We have aspirations for the 1st XV but it’s important we try and provide as good a standard of rugby as we can for all our teams.

‘That would then make us an even more attractive club to join.’