Harlow 4ths 26- 0 Letchworth 3s

Merit Table

Saturday 5th December 2009

This week saw the 4^th team back in action playing as ourselves and not the 3^rd team.  Too far to walk to Ash tree field we settled for the middle pitch which only appeared to have a small area of grassless mud when we started (not quite the same when we eventually finished)

The team line up was looking pretty much the same as usual, although Danny F was missing with man flu (caught from Rob the winger via some dodgy contact from a Thursday night game of touch!).

Harlow started playing downhill and it was obvious pretty much from the start that our scrum was going to enjoy itself, with John Stock replacing Danny, Neal and Chris in their usual positions, and  Ben and Barney providing the “shove”.  Swampy, Jon and Rob Matthews causing their usual brand of chaos from the back row.

Harlow won all of their own put in from the scrum, and some of the Letchworth ball; at no point did we look at all threatened.  Barney was dominant in the line out providing the backs with good quality ball.

Harlow opened the scoring when Crabby ran outside the winger to score in the corner; he also converted a difficult kick making it 7-0.  Justin scored next, when he picked up from close range and crashed through the defence to score near the posts.  The scrum were taking the ball into contact and recycling it to the backs, providing them with constant attacking options.

Rob Matthews added to the score when he picked up close to the try line and smashed through the defence.

Harlow spent pretty much the whole first half on the attack; the youthful Letchworth back line was starved of the ball and had few attacking chances. 

Half time saw us 21-0 up, playing up the slope into the wind was less enjoyable than the first half.  Letchworth also began to attack I earnest with the inside centre trying to smash through on several occasions.  With Crabby at 10, Johnno then me, James at full back, with Rob Spinks and Rob Jones manning the wings our back line held firm.  Rob Spinks had a blinder, hitting everything that moved and smashing the ball when required.  Rob J had the dubious honour of getting two of the worst passes of the day, gently lofted over the defence, delivered with unerring accuracy and timing, by me (sorry mate.)

Getting a scrum close to the line, Neal took the ball against the head, the forwards set the ball up nicely and Rob Matthews scored in the corner

Unfortunately hammer Harrison was injured receiving an accidental knock to the face following one of his trademark tackles.  To say that his nose is broken is an understatement; it looks like an “S” bend.  There was also a cut to the eye which by the time I saw him at hospital had swollen nicely (speedy recovery mate).  By the time the game was ending the floodlights were on, and I think we will kick off earlier in future.

Funny moments- The tackle that James and Barney put in to stop the fullback scoring, I think they heard it on the first team pitch.

A Letchworth player coming round the back of the ruck and cleaning Justin out, getting penalised and 5 minutes later doing exactly the same thing, except with a bigger run up.  Mouthing off and getting a 4^th team rest to think about his actions.  He actually looked as though he had been hard done by

Swampy moving people out of his way so that he could hit the man taking the tap penalty.  Very polite “excuse me, Excuse me” then smash.

With the last tackle of the game pretty much, James stopped the inside centre form scoring.  The touchline crowd thought it a forearm smash (maybe a marginal shoulder barge at worst)  Poor bloke had a three on one overlap, neglected to pass it, got tackled and wounded his ankle as well as his head and his pride.

Although not really funny, Tony was telling me that he received a load of abuse from one of the opposition female supporters as he walked back to the club.  A master of tact and diplomacy, he suggested that given her ignorance of what she was talking about, it might be better perhaps not say anything at all.

Overall we played well, although at times made hard work of it for ourselves. 

MOTM-Rob Spinks had a blinder as did Chris Powell, Ben, Barney and the whole back row.

COTM-The Letchworth supporter who was shouting about the forearm smash to the neck, while the player rolled around clutching his ankle.

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