Harlow 15 Old Elthamians 22
Senior Vase
Harlow's cup
run came to
an end on
Saturday when they
encountered very
good side from
London 3 South-East.
Almost all the
damage was done
a in the
first 15 minutes
when the visitors
backs showed pace
and good running
angles to score
three tries.
Harlow were unable
to stop these
with effective first-time
tackles, partly
because of a
lack of commitment
to the tackle
but much more
because they did
not have the
pace to put
themselves into an
effective tackling
position. For
the remainder of
the game Harlow
fought extremely
well and their
pack in
particular were excellent
but they did
not managed to
claw back the
advantage which
they had already
conceded. The
game finished
with a 10
minute period of
continuous pressure
from Harlow within 10 metres of
the visitors'
try-line but they
were unable to
cross to achieve
the score which
would have taken
the game into
extra time.
Old
Elthamians kicked off
plying up the
slope and within
a few minutes it was
obvious their
strength was in
the running in
their backs.
They broke
through into the
Rams 22.
Their fly half
made a good
run for the
line and chipped
over the defence
only to be
taken out both
late and high
by the Harlow
full-back Fozzy Brown
who earned
himself yellow card
for his trouble.
Although Harlow cleared
their lines the
visitors were
soon back to
the attack and
ran in the
first of their
tries. The
conversion went
over for a
seven-point lead.
There followed a
short period of
pressure when the
Harlow pack were
able to control
the ball before another break out by
the Elthamians backs split
the Harlow for
their second try.
From the restart
Harlow countered quite
well and their
forwards took
play down deep
into the
visitors' half.
A penalty allowed
them to kick
for the corner
and they were
able to set
up rolling maul
which almost
crossed the line. The
ball however was
stolen and
Elthamians cleared to
touch. Within a
few minutes they
were back on
the attack and
again their
backs broke clear
for their third
try. Facing
a 17 point
deficit Harlow could
have been
expected to treat
the game as
lost. In
fact they
countered through their forwards,
playing a much
tighter game for
the remaining 15
minutes of the
first half. A
good rolling maul
took them close
to the try-line
and they smuggled
the ball over
with scrum-half
Lee Harron directing
the operation and
making the
touched down.
Ford kicked
an excellent
conversion only one
metre in from
the touchline
making the score
17 points to
7 to the visitors
at half time.
Despite
playing up the
hill in the
second mark Harlow
looked much more
in control of
the game.
They played a
tight game
keeping the ball
with the forwards
and showed that
they had begun
to identify the
back moves by
the visitors and
were shutting
them down much
more effectively. Harlow and
showed much more
control in the
lineout, always an
effective aspect
of their play and they
also had the
edge at the ruck
and maul.
At times their
pack had problems
with the set
scrums but as
the game
progressed they were
also able to
take control of
this department.
A breakout by
Old Elthamians allowed
them want further
try taking the
points tally to
22. Harlow
however were now
having much more
of the territory
and set up
series of attacks
on the visitors'
mind using the
rolling maul.
The third of these broke the
defence and Lloyd
Matchett plying
at lock was
driven over for
a try at.
Kicking into the
wind Ford was
on on line but
just short with
the conversion
taking the score
to 22 points
to 12. Harlow continued
to apply pressure
throughout behalf
keeping ball tight
in the forwards
for the majority
of the time but
occasionally moving it
wide to allow
the backs to run at
the line. With15
minutes to go
Elthamians were penalised
for killing ball
and Ford slotted
the easy penalty
taking the score
to 22 points
to 15. The key
to this was
that the score
could now be
levelled by a
converted try.
In the closing
10 minutes the
Harlow pack worked
brilliantly applying
almost continuous
pressure on the try line.
On two occasions
they crossed the
line but that
visitors managed the hold
ball up and
to clear slightly
from the ensuing
five-metre scrum.
To their credit
Elthamians held
out against this
sustained pressure
to win their
place in the
next round.
Tries: Lee Harron, Lloyd Matchett
Conversions: Nick Ford
Penalties: Nick Ford
1. -
Gary Brown
(Sub 60 mins
James Ephgrave)
2. -
Scott Romaine
3. -
Paul Prindiville
4. -
Jon Snow
5. -
Lloyd Matchett
6. -
Scott Stoba
7. -
Mark Pickett
8. -
Kain Claridge
9. -
Lee Harron (Captain)
10. -
Nick Ford
11. -
Simon Vanbeck
12. -
David Stradling
(Sub 40 mins
Ben Jarvis)
13. -
Josh Bohl
14. -
Matt Howard
15. -
Francis Brown
Subs not used:
Tommy Johnson
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