Sudbury 12 Harlow 0

EDF Enery Senior Vase

Harlow went out of the Senior Vase on Saturday against a heavier and more determined Sudbury side. The Rams fielded a weaker side that they might have done partly because of players being unavailable and partly because some were being rested in favour of the more important league competition. It also meant that some were playing out of position. Despite this Harlow were able to dominate the game in terms of possession and territory but could not get across the try line. In the end Sudbury clinched the game with two tries against the run of play, the second from a charged down clearance kick and a lucky bounce.

The game started with some good driving by the Harlow pack and ball captured from several Sudbury scrums as they could not control the wheel. Two early attacks by the forwards with both locks Hawkins and Eynon involved were stopped by solid tackling and mid way through the half the rams came their closest to a try when a kick for the corner  bounced awkwardly and just eluded the fingers of the chasing McFerran. On 25 minutes Sudbury took play into the Harlow half from a penalty and managed to win quick ball and wrong footed the Harlow defence for a try in the corner. For the rest of the half it was a defensive slog with Harlow doing all the attacking against a very solid defence. The Rams came close once more when Jamie Pope made a good break to release Will Grimley on the wing only to be brought back as hit foot had just clipped the touchline. Leaving the score 5 – 0 to the home side at half time.

The second half was more of the same Harlow battering away against a solid defence. Sudbury brought on three new signings from their bench and this enabled them to reduce the Harlow dominance in the set scrums. At the start of the final quarter Harlow player coach Harron came on with the hope of breaking the stalemate. He did have some impact pressuring his opposite number and testing the defence with his trade mark chip kicks. For a while play was kept very close to the Sudbury line but their defence held. Then with just 8 minutes to go the home side made the result safe.  A kick up field from a penalty did not did touch and the Harlow reply was charged down and fell perfectly for the winger following up for an easy try under the posts and a safe conversion. They held on for the closing minutes to book their place in the next round.

This Saturday Harlow are at home in the league to Colchester KO 3pm. A win is essential if they are to get their league campaign back on track. A lot will hinge on the extent to which they can get out a full strength side.

1. - James Ephgrave (Sub Danny Lane 60 minutes)

2. - Stuart Wilkins

3. - Gary Brown

4. - Darran Hawkins

5. - Paul Eynon

6. - Jamie Pope

7. - Wayne Heapy

8. - Kain Claridge

9. - Jake Kent-Pope (Sub Lee Harron 60 minutes)

10. - Nick Ford

11. - Will Grimley

12. - Ben Jarvis (Sub Chris Webb  70 minutes)

13. - Simon Vanbeck

14. - Sean Banks

15. - James McFerran

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