Harlow 2nd XV 22 Romford 2nd XV 22

Harlow showed great grit and determination to bounce back from a 0-17 deficit at half time to tie the game 22-22 against league leaders Romford.  A vastly improved performance from two weeks ago when Harlow lost 24-12 against the same side.

The game did not start well for Harlow who retained the ball poorly to start with.   A lack of good ball at the base of breakdowns disrupted Harlow’s ball out to their backs who could do the damage.  However good defending from Harlow did not allow Romford the pleasure of capitalising on this.  It was a frustrating half for Harlow as whenever they started to string a passage of play together they lacked the final cutting pass where a Romford player always seemed to be there to turn the ball over.  To give them credit Romford played intelligently using the impressive boot of their outside centre to pin Harlow back in their own half.  Romford defended well high up the pitch in order to force a Harlow error and it was from one of these errors that Romford broke the deadlock.  A ball was turned over in a ruck that saw Romford’s scrum half the first to react to release their winger to run in unopposed in the corner 0-5. 

One well-executed backs move saw Romford create the overlap shortly after.  The ball moved quickly through their backs hands for their outside centre to score out wide to race to a 0-10 lead.  Throughout the remaining ten minutes of the half Romford continued to frustrate Harlow with a clever chip over by Chris Webb and a half break by newcomer Steve Scanlan bringing Harlow close to scoring.  However as was the story of the first half Harlow lacked the killer pass and a big boot up field forced Harlow back into their own half.  It was another quick counter attacking try from Romford capitalising on a Harlow error that saw them score their third try seconds before the end of the half to rack up a 0-17 lead.

A few changes at half time seemed to galvanise Harlow somewhat with Guthrie calming things down at fly half and Laskowski delivering good ball at scrum half Harlow slowly started to grow in stature and dominate the second half.  Slowly Harlow started to play their own brand of quick attacking rugby that had been so effective in their past two games and work their way back into the game. 

A quick tap penalty on the half way line by Harlow flanker Mallia saw him make ten metres before offloading the ball to an oncoming forward in support.  The ball was then offloaded about three times before the ball was again collected by Mallia who delivered the final pass to Webb who showed good strength to hold off his opposite number to score out wide 5-17. 

Harlow grew in confidence after that and slowly started to exert their influence on the game.  Laskowski and Cochrane disrupting any ball Romford had keeping the pressure on them for a change.  It was Rundall who had been moved out to the wing that made the break through for Harlow’s second try.  Just inside Romford’s 22 Rundall cut in off of his wing to collect the ball from the base of the scrum.  A cut back inside saw him tackled 5 metres out where a offloaded pass was caught at full stretch by injury returnee L.Hodges who dived under a Romford defender for a simple score under the posts.  The conversion by Rundall saw Harlow claw back the score to 12-17. 

By now Harlow were enjoying the lion’s share of the possession but good defending by Romford keeping Harlow out.  It was only a matter of time however until Harlow scored their third try of the match.  A Romford player was offside at a lineout on their 5 metre line where a quick tap and go saw the ball played out wide to Guthrie whose simple pass allowed centre L.Hodges to run in unopposed for the easiest try he will score this season.  The conversion by Rundall saw Harlow gain the lead for the first time in the match 19-17.  Another penalty just outside Romford’s 22 saw Rundall kick the three points to extend their lead 22-17.

Romford with the clock counting down finally started to respond and good forwards play saw them make the hard yards into Harlow’s half.  Good pressure and communication between Harlow’s back line saw any threat out wide quickly snuffed out to keep control of the game with only a few minutes left.  Luckily for Harlow Romford learned that they could use the rolling maul to good effect to keep possession and make their way into Harlow’s 22 to set up a nervy finish.  It was in the dying seconds of the match that Romford managed to break through Harlow’s defence.  A rolling maul left them just short of Harlow’s line where a ball out to the blindside, with a suggestion of a forward pass, saw them create the overlap to score out wide.  Luckily they missed the resulting conversion to tie the score 22-22.

Team:  Atwell, Wilkins (L.Hodges), Bayford, J.Hodges (Williams), Summers, Mallia, Cochrane, Roberts, Snell (capt), Dunn (Guthrie), Webb, Scanlan, Rundall, Laskowski, Westbrook. 

Tries: Webb, L.Hodges (2) Conversions: Rundall (2) Penalty: Rundall.

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