Chelmsford 12 Harlow 29

(Half time 22 - 7)

London Three North East League

Harlow started their league campaign with thirty minutes of high speed rugby which left Chelmsford totally confused. When McFerran ran in the third Harlow try in the 34^th minute and Humphries converted the lead was 22 – 0 and the game was over. The home side did rally to get onto the scoreboard and made Harlow work harder in the second half but they found the rams’ tackling hard and committed. The Harlow side had many changes from the one that ended last season, some experienced players returning, some younger players moving up from the colts and the second team and two new signings. Every one of them performed well and fully justified selection. The one major setback for Harlow was the loss of fullback Fozzie Brown in the 65^th minute who was tackled making a clearance kick and went off with a serious leg injury which was later confirmed as a fracture. He already had his name on the scoresheet with a good try coming into the line to make the extra man and had been faultless in defence and in kicking for position.

Harlow attacked strongly from the start moving the ball wide at every opportunity and came close on several occasions. They had the advantage of a mobile pack who were more than capable of linking with the backs and who provided plenty of possession. Mobashar Mahmood at loose head linked well with Stuart Wilkins and Tom Webb in the front row and the return of Hans Barnard and Shaun Roberts in the back row provided good attacking opportunities from the breakdown. The first try came after 13 minutes when new fly half Humphries moved the ball out before Shaun Roberts took the inside pass and cut in to score, Humphries converted for a 7 point lead. Four minutes later Humphries slotted a penalty to extend the lead and then in the 22^nd minute Brown’s try took it to 15 – 0. The pressure continued and in the 34^th minute McFerran playing at centre broke clear and cut towards the posts for the third try, converted by Humphries for a 22 point lead. In the closing five minutes Chelmsford rallied and their pack pressured the Harlow try line before in the final play of the half they wrong footed the defence to go over for a try close the post and converted for 22 – 7 to Harlow at the interval.

The second half was a much more of a mid field cut and thrust game. Chelmsford realising that the Harlow had the edge in open play kept the ball much more with the forwards. In most areas it was an even contest but in the lineout Harlow still add the edge with Darren Hawkins taking his own ball cleanly and stealing a proportion of theirs. This performance combined with some excellent play in the loose earned him the Harlow man of the match nomination, a very difficult decision with so many players performing well. At 54 minutes Harlow make a tactical substitution bringing on Ricky McKinley for Mahmood at loose head and then at 65 minutes the injury to Brown brought Ben Jarvis on at centre with McFerran going to fullback. At the same time Wayne Morgan came on for Roberts going to flanker with Barnard taking on the No.8 slot. In the 76^th minute Humphries who had made a great debut at fly half put the final nail in the Chelmsford coffin, intercepting in midfield and sprinting 50 years for a try under the posts which he converted for a 29 – 7 lead. The kick gave him a tally of four over from five attempts. The closing minutes were a tougher proposition for Harlow as the home side battled to retrieve something and they were rewarded with an unconverted try in the final minute making it 29 – 12 at the final whistle.

This result leaves Harlow 2^nd in the league but it means very little until several more rounds have been played and it is possible to work out the real strength of the sides. Next Saturday they are at home to Thurrock who were relegated from London II. They lost on Saturday to newly promoted Sudbury but the Suffolk side performed very well last season so it would be foolish to under estimate Thurrock.

Overall it was a good weekend for Harlow. The seconds lost to Rochford 10 – 0 in a close game but the thirds beat Upminster 23 – 14 and the fourths beat Hatfield seconds 34 - 10.  Perhaps the most exciting result came on the Sunday when Harlow Ladies playing Aylesford seconds won 83 – 0 in a warm up game before they start their league campaign at home next Sunday against Southwold.

Tries: Shaun Roberts, James McFerran, Francis Brown, Paul Humpries

Conversions:  Paul Humpries (3)

Penalties: Paul Humpries

Team List

1 -  Mobashar Mahmood (Sub 55 mins Ricky McKinley)

2 -  Stuart Wilkins
3 -  Tom Webb  
4 -  Darren Hawkins
5 -  Mark Twinner
6 -  Hans Barnard
7 -  Lee Covington
8 -  Shaun Roberts (Sub 65 mins Wayne Morgan )

9 -  Lee Harron

10 - Paul Humpries
11 - Will Grimley
12 - Gareth Powell
13 - James McFerran
14 - Simon Vanbeck
15 - Francis Brown (Sub 65 mins Ben Jarvis )

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