Harlow u17's 1991 34 Harlow 3rds/4ths 17

Reunion - Just for fun

Last Saturday Hallow under 17 team from 1991 came together for a reunion match against a combined Harlow 3rd and 4th team. The 1991 side were one of the strongest Harlow youth sides of their generation and had always wanted to get together again. As a result of some hard work in particular by David Stradling on Saturday they took to the field again. Their commitment was shown by the fact that many of them travelled considerable distances to play. Wayne Higgins topped the commuter list by flying in from Boston.  In all David managed to assemble a full squad of 15 and they were joined by guests Matt Branch and James Clark, nephew of the hooker Graham.
 
The game represented an interesting challenge; the 3rds and 4ths both have had very good seasons and have some players with real pace and perhaps even more important forwards with real weight and power. The reunion side were perhaps more to be remembered for their pace and ball handling.
 
The first half was very much a setting down process as the ’91 team tried to establish communications. The thirds power in the pack told and they drove in for an early try. The ’91 team hit back quickly to level it when centre Darren Brown offloaded to No. 8 Eynon who was tackled as he crossed the line but rolled over to ground the ball. For much of the half it was cut and thrust play but with the 3rds having the communications and using their weight to good effect Two more tries followed for them on converted so that in the final minutes of the half they looked in control with a 17 – 5 lead. Jus before half time however there was a sign of things to come. Rhys Loveday produced his famous dummy and, never having seen him play the defender bough it and again Eynon was on hand to take the offload on touch down. Kevin Giess converted. The half ended with two food runs from the ’91 wingers Lees and Higgins but no more scores and they turned around with the 3rds 17 – 12 in front.
 
The second half was a closer contest than the score line suggests. The key difference was that as the game progressed the reunion team began to find the moves which had stood them in good stead in the past and gaps started to appear. A third try from Eynon came from a short pass leading to a crash ball move and another from Russell Snowden again mixing weight and pace. To break through. Mid way through the half Loveday who had been setting up ball for everyone else decided to go himself and showed the ball before stepping round the defender to score under the posts, Giess converted. The final try started with a No 8 pick up and offload to Loveday who exchanged passes with both centres Storm and Darren Brown before the offload to Eynon who ran in his 4th try.
 
It was a great game with both sides entering into the spirit of the occasion to entertain a large number of supporters. Afterwards the team 91 presented two souvenir shirts. One to Martin Polkinghorne who had made a great contribution to the rugby development of many of the players when they were at mark Hall School and who refereed the game today as he had so many times when they were a you side. The other shirt went to Dave Sharp who was their manager/Coach as Under 17s.
 
Tries:  Eynon 4, Loveday, Snowdon.
Conversions Giess 2
 
 
1991 U17s Team 1. Matt Branch, 2. Graham Clark, Paul Prindiville, 4. Russel Snowdon, 5. Kerry Palmer, 6. Duncan Reynolds, 7. Kevin Giess, Sub Matthew Selway 40 mins) 8. Paul Eynon 9. David Stradling, (Sub James Clark 45 mins) 10. Rhys Loveday (Capt), 11. Wayne Higgins, 12. Ian Storm, 13. Darren Brown, 14. Danny Leese, sub Neil Edward 40 mins) 15. Chris Brown
 

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