Pressure on in battle to get clear of drop threat

PORTSMOUTH slipped deeper into London two south west relegation bother with a 31-5 defeat at KCS Old Boys.
Rory Penfold scored two tries for Gosport and Fareham. Picture: Keith Woodland.Rory Penfold scored two tries for Gosport and Fareham. Picture: Keith Woodland.
Rory Penfold scored two tries for Gosport and Fareham. Picture: Keith Woodland.

With just two games left to play the Rugby Camp side are perilously close to danger, just three points above the drop zone.

Their situation is made more precarious by the fact their final two games are against the second and third-placed teams in the league.

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Assistant coach Jim Pearce admits his team have it all to do if they are to stay up.

‘It doesn’t look great,’ said Pearce.

‘The pressure is on us for our final two games and we need to raise it.

‘To be fair, we didn’t play that badly against KCS but lacked a cutting edge.

‘We must have had at least 65 per cent of the possession, had the nudge on them in the scrums and competed around the park.

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‘It was just that when we got ourselves into scoring situations we failed to take our chances.

‘KCS were young and moved the ball well.

‘Whenever our moves broke down they looked to attack us.’

Portsmouth’s only points came from a Jackson Brown try.

Pearce is hoping Portsmouth can make the most of home advantage in their next game against third-placed Old Reigatian.

‘We are desperate to stay at this level,’ said Pearce.

‘We will need to field our strongest possible side against Old Reigatian and try to achieve the necessary win.

‘It is up to us to get it right.’

Southsea Nomads lost 79-3 but captain Ben Horrod took some positives.

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‘We knew it was going to be tough because our opponents are chasing the title,’ said Horrod.

‘Our second half was better when our forwards set up a good platform.

‘They were well organised by Greg Stewart who twice went close to going over for a try.

‘We must build on our second half as we look to beat Locks Heath Pumas in our local derby next.

United Services Portsmouth conceded their London three south west game to Battersea Ironsides after failing to raise a team.

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