Harlow 20 Enfield Ignations 10

London League Division Two North East

2nd January 2010

Harlow produced some very good rugby on Saturday to clinch their most important league win of the season. Although they beat Enfield comfortably away, the Middlesex side have improved considerably having won five out of their last six games and now presented a much tougher challenge. A combination of bad weather and the Christmas and New Year holidays meant that the Harlow team had not played together for some time. This problem was extended by the fact that several players were returning from layoffs due to injury. The result was that communication was not always as good as it should have been particularly in the early stages of the game. As it progressed however the Harlow moves and started to work more smoothly and four quality tries clinched the game.

The visitors started strongly and for the first few minutes it looked as though they might have the advantage. After 5 minutes a penalty allowed them to find touch deep in the Harlow half and set up a good rolling maul from the line out. Harlow were too slow getting players in to stop the maul and they were able to drive over for a try in the corner by the number five Dan Hutchings. From the restart they continued to put Harlow under pressure and some very determined tackling was required to prevent further score was. Kain Claridge returning at number eight in particular made a major difference in taking out the visitors centres. As the half progressed Harlow began to get into the game and some effective tactical kicking kept play much more in the Enfield half. On two occasions line-outs close to the try line looked as if they would produce a score only for an infringement to give the visitors a chance to clear. With only three minutes to go to half time Harlow set up a good possession from a further line-out and Lee Harron made a good solo break on the blindside before passing wide to Will Grimley on the wing. Grimley’s speed almost took him clear but as he was tackled just short of the line he was able to stretch forward and ground the ball for a try. Dobson’s conversion from the touchline was only inches short but meant that Harlow finished the half all square at five points each.

Harlow started the second half more strongly and kept play in the visitors half. After 6 minutes a penalty are allowed them to setup good line out ball about 15 yards short of the Enfield line. The forwards looped to attack midfield and ball carrier Eynon took out a defender and offloaded to Terry Blackwell who crashed through for the try, his first one since promotion to the Harlow first team. Although Enfield countered strongly now that Harlow had a lead of 10 points to five they were playing with much more confidence. Good tactical kicking from Dobson and Harron gave Harlow a number of good attacking opportunities. On 60 minutes the Harlow pack setup good possession just inside the Enfield 22. Lee Harron made a solo break on the blindside before offloading to Fozzie Brown who committed two Enfield defenders in before passing to Grimley coming in at full speed for the touchdown in the corner. Although there was still the final quarter to be played, with a two score margin Harlow confidence was high. A tactical kick to the corner from Dobson was miss-fielded by the visitors scrum half. Eynon following a hard scooped up the ball and drove for the line, dropping his shoulder and taking out the remaining defenders to crash over for the try. Unfortunately he pulled a hamstring in the process and had to go off, being replaced in the second row by Kerry Palmer. The remaining 15 minutes Harlow continued to apply a pressure but then a defensive lapse in the closing seconds allowed the visitors to set up a good forward drive from the line out to score in the corner. Harlow however were pleased to close the game out with a 20 points to 10 lead.

On Saturday Harlow are away to Saffron Walden who are two places above them. They always play strongly on their own ground and it will need a major effort to take the points. This year the league fixtures are such that Harlow meet all the other teams in the bottom half of the league between now and the 20th of February. If they do not take advantage of this it will be much more of a challenge to secure their league position against the higher placed clubs towards the end of the season.

Tries: Will Grimley (2), Terry Blackwell, Paul Eynon

Conversions:  

Penalties:

Team List

1 -  Paul Prindiville

2 -  Scott Romaine (Captain)
3 -  Marc Williams (Sub Matt Branch 70 mins)

4 -  Terry Blackwell  
5 -  Paul Eynon  (Sub Kerry Palmer 65 mins)   

6 -  Shaun Roberts (Sub James Clark 75 mins) 
7 -  Mark Bowering

8 -  Kain Claridge
9 -  Lee Harron
10 - Michael Dobson

11 - Rob Mackie
12 - James McFerran
13 - Luke Bowering

14 - Will Grimley

15 - Frances Brown

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