|
Cheshunt
4th XV
14
Harlow
4th XV 51
Merit Table
Saturday
17th October 2009
In a strange role reversal, the
4th team found themselves with only one sub this week,
Cheshunt
had a full squad of 22.
With a confident, young
looking referee, we waited for another of the
Cheshunt
players to arrive before we kicked off.
Once the guy started
running around smashing everyone in sight, we began to realise why it was
important for Cheshunt
to start him.
A pitch inspection revealed that the ground was
slightly potholed, but it was ok as the sand was covering most of the bigger
holes.
Harlow began the game playing
uphill, Cheshunt opened the scoring when they moved the ball out to the wing
broke a tackle and scored, this was converted and left
Harlow a bit
shocked. Funnily enough,
Cheshunt targeted the same wing
moments later, Hammer Harrison left his opposite number lying in a crumpled
heap after a text book tackle, this put an end to the attacks down that
wing. Galvanized into action we began to play as a team, Barney started to
dominate the line out, with accurate throwing from Neal, the whole game saw
us win our own throw in and lots of
Cheshunt
ball. Harlow
scored next when Crabby, playing in the centres, saw the gap and scored. The
Harlow
back line was spinning the ball out quickly and confidently, communicating
well.
Cheshunt came back and
scored their next try when the
Harlow scrum
was pushed off the ball, the scrum half dived in and touched the ball down.
Fortunately this was the last time we went
backwards in the scrum for the whole game, I blame the new tight head who
was playing.
Crabby went over in the corner for another try
after beating the winger for pace, breaking some weak tackles on the way.
Half time saw Cheshunt
with a 2 point lead as we had missed a conversion.
Playing downhill at Cheshunt
has a special meaning; the slope is quite dramatic both up and down and side
to side.
From the off we started
to put pressure on the
Cheshunt team and the cracks
started to appear. Taking the ball at pace going downhill made Crabby look
even quicker than he is, with Justin sending quality ball to Rob at fly
half, the gaps just seemed to open up. The forwards were now smashing the
ball into contact and letting the backs get quality ball.
Big Dan enjoying his usual, subtle, forays down
the pitch leaving people lying on the floor wondering what had happened.
Ben and Chris Powell linking well, letting Ben
have a run at some backs which is always nice to see, he popped the ball to
a support runner in a move straight off the Thursday night training, another
try.
Swampy was doing his usual, running around making a
nuisance of himself ably assisted this week by Rob Spinks.
Barney seemed content to just win all of our
line outs and steal most of Cheshunts, although he put in a huge tackle to
end a Cheshunt attack leaving the player lying there wondering what had
happened.
Mumbles went over for 2 tries
this week, ending one with his trademark dive (chilli vodka to come), he too
found space when straight, fast running saw the
Cheshunt
defence struggling.
James at fullback,
ensured that Cheshunt
were unable to score in the second half (I thought you and Crabby were going
to share the full back duties, obviously not).
The end of the game saw
the 4th
team win having scored 7 tries, 2 penalties and 5 conversions.
A big hand goes out to
the referee this week, he was very young, from the off he was confident and
after 5 minutes stopped listening to the other 30 refs on the pitch and got
on with the game.
Tracey the first aider was kept
busy this week with 4th team players, Cheshunt players and players from the
other pitch who needed a blood injury sorting out.
Something about a woman’s work never being
done….
The game was good natured and a
welcome return to the sort of game that we can play, the Cheshunt
hospitality was as warm as the Chilli vodka we made them drink.
Funny moments-Seeing the
Cheshunt fly
half get dumped by Hammer.
In
the last scrum of the game, Neal decided to take the ball against the head;
this led directly to a try and one of their props to mutter something very
rude about the Cheshunt
hookers’ capabilities.
Chris Powell explaining
to the referee that he was recovering from flu and had not been knocked
unconscious (he always looks that bad)
One of the Cheshunt subs came on
and deliberately obstructed a
Harlow
player, American football style when chasing his kick.
Moments later he found
himself lying the wrong side at a ruck, he was offered some vigorous
encouragement to move. The Cheshunt
skipper was shouting “Its only his second game ever…” Oops! I suggested they
should explain the rules to him.
COTM-Unfortunately the 3rd team
let the club down by not winning their away game this week, this would have
given Harlow
a clean sweep of all teams winning, they deserve the coveted award this
week.
No one in the 4th team or
the Cheshunt
team deserved it.
To view more match reports - click here
|
