Harlow 4th XV 0 Woodford  4th XV 43

Friendly 

With 12 of our regular players not available for selection it was always going to be tough this week.  Looking to recruit players off the website is a waste of time, on the day the 3s went away short of players and the 2s were reinforced by the 1^st team.  It was like the 4^th team used to be, pick a shirt and you can play.

Some great touchline recruitment led to a spectator getting a run out for us, we made him put his beer down before he got changed, well done Lee.  Freddy had come down to watch and was persuaded to play and Sean “If I get injured you will have to pay loads of sponsorship!” Wilkinson was shamed into leaving his 6 nations couch potato viewing, for a second half appearance.

The Woodford team were always going to be interesting after the Harlow 3rds had left the Woodford 3s without a game.  Checking the fixture exchange they made no effort to get an alternative game, although usually we play some of the 2s so it was a welcome reprieve for us really.

Pre-game chat came from Mr. Webb who warned us about discipline, with special reference to abuse of the match officials, I think he confused us with a team who can spare the breath needed to abuse referees.  Most of us have realised that wasting precious breath abusing people when you need an oxygen mask is a bit foolish.  In all fairness, we do still get the odd “4^th team rest” in our games (yellow card) so we listened and no-one got sent off from either team.

The team line up was quite interesting with a debut for Louis the French wing/centre and James centre and Lee (touchline).  The rest of the team was our usual side.  With no captain/vice-captain,we won the toss and played uphill in the first half.  For the first time in ages the packs were roughly the same size, we recognised some of them from previous encounters but not everyone- the back row was quite young, although it was the scrum half who looked about 12 that caused us the most problems.  The back line was all young and it did not take long for Woodford to start finding gaps in the defence, with Louis and James in the centres there was some fierce defending and the tackles were hard.

We won most of our scrums causing disruption to many of theirs but we could not compete with the speed and agility of the Woodford colts, they ran in 4 tries in the first half and successfully stopped all of our attacks.  Danny Fitz and Justin combined well to nearly go over with a penalty move but were stopped and Woodford cleared their line.  Our line out was not so good, a new thrower-in did not always hit the target although Barney jumped well and Chris Powell did his usual,going through on loose ball.  Lee at 8 kept going in the heat trying to help Justin out when he could.

At half time we made a few changes, Rupert went off for the Hammer, Sean came in at full back and Damien went in at centre.  We lost during the course of the game, Justin to a knee injury, Louis with blisters and his ankle, Barney for a while with a blood injury.  By the end of the game we had borrowed a Woodford player (thanks for that) and I was playing scrum half and throwing the ball in at the line out.  Neal and Darren took the ball into contact well, and got stuck into the rucks and mauls.  Rob Spinks played well as did Rupert and Hammer, Damien did well both at  full-back and in the centres, with his pace stopping Woodford from scoring on a couple of occasions.

Woodford scored another 3 tries in the second half and overall converted 4.

It was actually nice to play a game where, although we lost, it was a friendly, hard game with nothing riding on it.  The hot sunshine conspired against us and the ground is getting a bit harder.

Funny moments- The second team referee coming over to introduce himself and check that we were indeed Harlow 2s.

“Where are Woodford 3s getting changed?”  The first Woodford player to arrive asked.

French Louis trying to explain to me that he was a centre/wing and me telling him that fly-half would be fine.

Lee being kidnapped into the changing room, kitted out and told to hurry up, the same with Freddy.

Asking Barney to catch and set the ball up at the line-out, as I needed to throw the ball in and then come round as scrum half to spin it out.

Louis getting a massive, almost spear tackle, and not noticing, just setting the ball up nicely.

MOTM-  all the new guys especially James and Louis. Darren for his comeback game.

COTM- Gaggy . With an early kick off arranged, Aunty came to watch the game and still get to the O2 to see Paul Weller, so why couldn’t you?  Probably some quality shopping time with the missus I reckon.

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