Harlow   5    Old Albanians 23.

London and South East  Division 1.

For Harlow it was a re-run of a too familiar story. The absence of more experienced players meant that they fielded five colts in the starting line up. No problem there, they played well and their tackling was impressive, particularly Jon Richardson and Steve McClarnon on the wings. Alasdair Phillips ran in Harlow’s only try; the first score in three league games. What the team lacks is one or two experienced play makers, particularly in the backs, who can create the openings that will show the speed and fitness of the young ones to full advantage.  Some extra experience was injected when Mark Guthrie came in at centre for the injured Adam Spencer in the 23 minute and more so when Alan Price was brought on as a replacement early in the second half. It is significant that the score line for the second half was 5 – 5; unfortunately Albanians had by then been gifted the first half 18 – 0.

The game started at a fierce pace with both sides moving the ball quickly form hand to hand and kicking for territory. Albanians looked dangerous but the Harlow defence was solid. Visitors fly half Billy Stanley had a penalty shot two minutes in but did not have the range. They finally opened the scoring when he found the posts with another attempt in the seventeenth minute. In the 23^rd minute Adam Spencer the Harlow centre injured an ankle and was replaced by Mark Guthrie. All the damage came in a quarter hour starting in the 25^th minute. Stanley gave his markers the slip to run in for a try and then in the 36^th and 41^st minute Albanians managed to move the ball wide very quickly creating two chances for Burger to attack down the wing for tries in the corner. The Harlow defence was not helped by a yellow card to Lauria, for killing the ball. The Argentinean hooker was certainly one of the hardest working and most effective forwards on the park. The half ended with the visitors 18 – 0 ahead.

In the opening minutes of the second half Harlow skipper Ben Jarvis was just wide with a penalty attempt and in the 48^th minute veteran centre Alan Price replaced Steve McClanrnon for Harlow. In the 52^nd minutes Stanley ran in his second try taking the lead to 23 points.   While Harlow kept the ball tight with their forwards they had an even share of the game and made good ground but the Albanians three quarters were able to close them down too quickly then the attempted to move the ball. In the later stages of the game the Albanians No. 8 was yellow carded for handling in the ruck. Finally on the 70^th minute Harlow managed to move the ball away form the ruck quickly along the three quarters before full back Phillips cane into the line to take the scoring pass. The score remained at 23 – 5 as the clock ran down.

Team: Phillips, McClarnon (sub Alan Price 48) Morgan, Spencer (sub Guthrie 23), Richardson, Jarvis (Capt.), Gwyn Price, Ephgrave, Lauria, Prindiville, Grover, Eynon, Nutt, Romaine, Keeling (sb Johnson 68)

Try: Phillips.

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