The Vikings secured an important bonus point victory to keep their promotion hopes alive, but their performance was somewhat short of their best, as they allowed the home side into the game on several occasions with sub-par defending.

After the high of defeating the league leaders Sandown & Shanklin the week before, a much changed side proved too much for Fordingbridge, running in seven tries in a forwards dominated performance.

The Vikings were on the scoreboard inside 4 minutes, following a dominant carry by Jacob Smith, who was unable to be stopped by several defenders after a free-kick.

Whilst Ray Smart’s side started quick on the attack, they were a little off the pace defensively early on, and Fordingbridge capitalised on this. The home side worked through several phases inside the twenty-two, and eventually the gap opened for them to score under the posts. The conversion was added as they took the lead.

Both teams exchanged turns in attacking, but errors and mistakes were costing them possession. Whilst the Fordingbridge forwards struggled to match the Vikings up-front, their backs were youthful and dangerous and found space on several occasions, but failed to make it count.

Jacob Smith was still proving to be a huge threat, and from a penalty deep inside the Fordingbridge twenty-two he burrowed his way over for his second try, again seeing off several defenders.

One of the most impressive players for St Jacques on Saturday was Phil Le Noury. The hooker was very busy in both attack and defence and was a thorn in the side of Fordingbridge all afternoon. He was next to score from a lineout 15 metres out, after collecting the ball at the back of the driving maul, he touched down in the corner. Matt Lomas added the conversion.

The forward dominance from the Vikings was now coming to the fore, as once again the heavies scored to extend their lead. Unsurprisingly it was once again Jacob Smith who touched down. The chance was created following a lineout which was caught by Tom Bray at the back. He burst through, the ball was recycled through several phases, before it was back in the hands of Smith who powered over. Lomas added the conversion.

On the stroke of half-time Fordingbridge pulled a score back following a kick ahead which bounced fortuitously for them to just about touch down in the try zone.

The second half started with St Jacques exerting forward dominance once again. They shoved the hosts off their own ball at the scrum deep in their twenty-two, before working through several controlled phases to be 1 metre out. Mitchell Smith was able to force his way over from there. Lomas converted the score.

Tom Bray was next to score, after the Vikings won a lineout and executed another driving maul. This came to a stop but several phases later Bray found himself receiving the ball from Gearoid Lee, and after juggling the ball he managed to touch down.

So far every Vikings try had been scored by the forwards, but Ed Duerden finally got in on the action for the backs. Following a scrum which St Jacques turned over, the ball was spun out by Tom Veillard who found Duerden running an excellent line, and he was not going to be stopped from there. Lomas added the conversion.

The final quarter of the game was stop-start, and Fordingbridge frustrated the Vikings as they kept them from extending the score any further.

In the end the it was a comprehensive victory, far from a vintage performance, but it was enough to leave the New Forest with all five points.

There is now a break for the Easter weekend, before St Jacques return against Chichester seconds at Footes Lane on 6th April.