Harlow 48 Sudbury 5

London League Division 3

Harlow produced their biggest league win for several seasons when they ran all over Sudbury on Saturday. When you say a scoreline flatters the opposition you are usually justifying a defeat. This result does however flatter Sudbury. The match was played in a biting wind with temperatures just above freezing. The result was a lot of passes not going to hand; Harlow had so many chances that under better conditions the margin could have been even higher.

This was an all round team performance with blistering pace from the backs to set up five good tries and two quality tries from the forwards. The bonus is the kicking form of Nick Ford, 6 over from 8 attempts one of his misses from out wide hit the upright. Combining the last two games he has hit 9 from twelve attempts; a strike rate of 75%.

Harlow were quickly into the game when Sudbury were penalized and Ford slotted the penalty. Play followed a cut and thrust pattern for the next quarter of an hour but with Harlow looking the more dangerous attacking through their backs but with good running support from the pack. The visitors seemed determined to kick up field but all this did was to present full back Vanston with chances to run the ball with good support from wingers Howard and Smith. Howard ran in the first of his tries and Ford converted to make it 10 – 0 and them minutes later a long miss pass to Lee Smith on the other wing allowed him to shrug off two defenders for a try out wide. Ford slotted his best kick of the afternoon from the touchline for a 17 – 0 lead. A yellow card for collapsing the Harlow rolling maul added to Sudbury’s woes and the Harlow pack were quick to exploit the situation. Passing up a penalty chance they kicked for the corner where the classic Grover/Scott combination produced clean lineout ball.  The visitors held the first maul only for it to re-from with the ball moving infield and this time there was no mistake crossing the line with prop Paul Prindiville making the touchdown. Ford was unlucky with the conversion, as he started his run the wind tipped the ball off the tee. With the defenders now allowed to charge he grabbed it and took a quick drop shot. His line was good but it was just short; Harlow turned round with a safe 22 – 0 lead.

Despite playing up the slope Harlow continued to look strong although a combination of wind and gradient meant that some of Sudbury’s long kicks now made useful territory.  Harlow continued to run the ball at every opportunity and, after three good chances were held off, Eynon scored the first try of the second half to extended the lead with a typical No.8 try coming of from good defence the back of a ruck. Ford hacked it through near the 22 where Eynon gathered the ball and made it to the line. The conversion from well out hit the upright and bounced out. 

Howard found the pace to break through for his second try and running straight at the posts to give Ford his easiest conversion of the day.

Smith added his second try of the afternoon before Sudbury finally managed to get on the score sheet. Having established themselves in the Harlow 22 they were able to draw the defence and put a one of their backs into the corner.  The final try of the afternoon came from Simon Vanbeck who seems to be enjoying his conversion from wing to centre. Sudbury dropped the ball out wide Vanbeck gathered it and cut inside his opposite number and then shrugged off the final tackle for a score close to the posts for 48 – 5 scoreline at the whistle.

Tries: Matt Howard (2), Lee Smith (2), Paul Prindiville, Paul Eynon, Simon Vanbeck

Converstions: Nick Ford (5)

Penalties: Nick Ford

(Follow links to player profiles)
1. Gary Brown  (Sub James Ephgrave)
2. Martin Mallia (Sub Gary Brown)

3. Paul Prindiville

4. Paul Scott

5. James Grover
6. Shaun Roberts (Sub Jon Snow)
7. Mark Pickett
8. Paul Eynon (Captain)
9. Lee Harron
10. Nick Ford
11. Lee Smith

12. Wayne Morgan
13. Simon Vanbeck
14. Matt Howard

15. Andrew Vanston (Sub James McFerran)

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