IT was a bad day from start to finish as Jersey RFC’s Hampshire U18 County Cup campaign closed with defeat away to New Milton on Sunday.

A delayed flight to Bournemouth on the morning meant little preparation time before the quarter-final got under way in excellent conditions.

‘It was a match we should have won,’ reflected head coach Bob Shambrook after the 24-7 defeat ended.

‘We played well in the pack – against a very big side – but we had four or five golden opportunities to score that weren’t taken.

Our backs had a bad day.’ That, unfortunately, was a theme amplified by the other two coaches, Mick Mayo and Nick Durbano, with missed tackles and dropped passes wasting a ’65 to 70 per cent’ possession ratio from the forwards, admirably led by captain Carl Gavey.

Perhaps it might have been different had Jersey’s backs been awarded a try that they felt would have given them an early lead.

Jersey were already 5-0 down to a sixth-minute try when speedy Adam Speight chased a kick down the middle from John Felton.

Speight and his supporting players celebrated the ‘try’.

However, as the referee claimed he was unable to judge whether the Jersey centre had touched the ball down before a diving defender, a scrum was given to Jersey, instead of five points, with an easy conversion to follow.

Felton then missed a long distance penalty kick attempt and it was New Milton who increased their lead to 12-0 by the break when their huge centre Anthony Greenwood galloped through by the posts, aided by several missed tackles.

Greenwood, the game’s outstanding player, also converted.

New Milton added a further 12 points in the second half – winger Morgan New touching down and Greenwood bring his personal total to 16 – before Jersey eventually got on the scoreboard.

It was no surprise that it was Gavey – named Jersey’s man of the match – who claimed the try following a tap penalty from five yards out.

David Carpenter added the conversion, but it was far too late to save Jersey’s cup bid, although the majority of the squad, being under-17s, will get another chance next year.

New Milton coach Duncan Conacher was understandably delighted with the result, particularly with his team’s defence against Jersey, who he rated as unlucky.

‘It was a very enjoyable game and played in a good spirit, he added.

New Milton, who proved to be excellent hosts, will now travel to either Guernsey or Gosport for the semi-final.