1st XV Match Reports 1999-2000 season | |||
| 15 April 2000 | |||
Old Boys stay second after a narrow victory | |||
| Burnham 1st XV | 13 | ||
| Old Brentwoods RFC 1st XV | 14 | ||
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The Old Boys had to dig deep to record a narrow victory on Saturday, and maintain second place in the league.
Burnham began the game the brighter and were rewarded for their efforts with a well judged penalty after five minutes.
The visitors gradually began to create more openings for themselves mainly through fine powerful runs from centres Chris Reah and James Holmes. Some determined work from Steve Aim and Charlie Raymond brought the Old Boys to within five metres of the Burnham line. A quickly taken penalty by Barney Rimmer taken on by Andy Born and the number eight powered over for a fine try. With Neil Hannaway slotting over the conversion the Old Boys began to play with more assertiveness and were soon rewarded with another try from Born. The fine move begun by Mick Laws and continued by Matt Staines gave Born his second try but brought his game to a painful end. In going over the line a follow through tackle left Born with a fractured leg. Following a half hour delay the conversion was slotted over and the remainder of the half proceeded without incident. The score line staying at 14-3 to the Old Boys The visitors began the second half well but an injury to Phil Pembroke brought further problems to the Old Boys Some good attacking play from Perry Reeves and Paul Buchanan gave the Old Boys further territorial gain. As the half wore on it was Burnham that gradually began to stand their authority on the game Some good work in the lineout from Pat Stroud helped the Old Boys gain some possession. Good ball was few and far between and the constant pressure from Burnham resulted in a try. The restart saw a continuation in this pattern of play and another unconverted try brought the home tem to within one point of the Old Boys. A succession of scrums drove the visitors closer to their line but some superb defensive work and dogged determination gave the Old Boys their final reward, the whistle coming in the nick of time for the visitors as they ran out 14-13 victors in a well fought highly charged contest. Report by Pat Stroud
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| 12 February 2000 | |||
Memories of the cup defeat are extinguished | |||
| Ongar 1st XV | 3 | ||
| Old Brentwoods RFC 1st XV | 22 | ||
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The Old Boys were able to put the previous week's cup defeat behind them with a bright, if not convincing, performance against local rivals, Ongar.
The visitors started brightly and produced a great deal of opportunities early on.
Some powerful runs from Matt Staines and Paul Buchanan tested the Ongar defences frequently. The Old Boys first try came from an unusual source, with Mick Laws picking up from the base of the scrum jinked over for an impressive try. Doug Cutmore made no mistake with the conversion and was on target again soon afterwards with a well judged penalty. The Old Boys pack, despite showing some changes in personel and position created plenty of opportuntities for the backs. Both Pat Stroud and Phil Pembroke enjoyed some success in the lineout and with some slick handling from Alastair Rigden at scrum half the Blues produced enough chances to wrap the game up by half time. However, Ongar were not willing to slacken off their determination and with some spirited work in the pack and continued pressure from the backs, it was they that forced the openings that got them their reward shortly before half time, the penalty making the score 10-3 at the break. The Old Boys were forced to make changes at half-time with Barney Rimmer being replaced by Dave Poulton and Charlie Raymond and Peter Wormersley swapping positions in the front row. Despite the re-shuffling the Old Boys gradually started to exert more pressure and gain more ground in the process. The visitors' second try came from a move set up by the forwards in midfield, the ball being spun out the backs by Rigden and eventually falling into the hands of Buchanan who powered over the line for a well earnt try. With Cutmore being successful with the conversion the Old Boys at last had a two-score cushion between them and the home team. Despite some further attacks from Ongar, notably from brothers, Mark and Richard Jones, the Old Boys were able to turn over more ball and following a surging run from winger, Chris Cakebread, James Holmes went over for a third try. On paper the 22-3 victory looked comfortable enough but with a bit more luck Ongar could have made the game much closer. The Old Boys sucess owed much to the efforts of the four players drafted in from the second team: Gavin Strachan, Alastair Rigden, Perry Rees and Kurt Baur all producing fine performances. Report by Pat Stroud
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| 6 February 2000 | |||
(Presidents Shield Semi-Final) | |||
Old Boys left to rue the missed chances | |||
| Ravens 1st XV | 14 | ||
| Old Brentwoods RFC 1st XV | 13 | ||
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The Old Boys were unable to find their form against Ravens on Sunday and despite a spirited effort at the end, were left to rue their earlier missed opportunities.
The visitors began brightly and through a well worked move starting with a lineout on the Ravens 22 yard line Chris Reah spun the ball out to Chris Cakebread who in turn passed it to right winger James Holmes to secure a fine try. Doug Cutmore was unable to convert the try but made no mistake with a penalty minutes later. Ten minutes before half time Neil Hannaway was sent off for what was deemed to be a rash tackle. A twist in the game that would ultimately prove to be fatal for the visitors. A penalty from the home team made the score 8-3 and thanks to some superb defensive work from the Old Boys the score remained unaltered at half time. The second half saw Ravens create more chances, exploiting their numerical advantage. Despite some brave tackling the Old Boys were unable to prevent the Ravens left winger from going over for an unconverted try. The score remained level before two killer blows hit the Old Boys in quick succession. A brace of penalties, the second from inside their half, gave Ravens a six point lead. A succession of run penalties finally gave the visitors the reward they deserved, Staines going over for a try. However with the wind against him Cutmore was unable to convert his kick and the Old Boys ran out of time and luck. Report by Pat Stroud
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| 29 January 2000 | |||
Old Boys at their best | |||
| Old Brentwoods RFC 1st XV | 39 | ||
| Millwall 1st XV | 14 | ||
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The Old Boys produced probably their best performance of the season to defeat Millwall in Saturday's league encounter.
Brentwood captain Laurie Cuttmore missed out with an early penalty but made no mistake with the two conversion attempts that followed soon afterwoods.
Fine lineout jumping from Phil Pembroke and Pat Stroud helped the Old Boys to successive tries through Barney Rimmer and James Holmes. Powerful runs from Chris Cakebread and Matt Staines produced great opportunities for the Old Boys to attack from the base of rucks. Further tries from Doug Cuttmore and Rimmer again stemmed from well worked moves. With the Old Boys reaching cruise control the visitors gradually began to creep back into the game. Some good scrummaging from Millwall was finally rewarded with a penalty try. That was duly converted to make the half-time score 24-7. The visitors began the second half well missing out on two penalty attempts in the first five minutes of play. Despite some good defensive play notably from Peter Wormersely and Mick Laws, Millwall finally got their reward with a try between the posts. The subsequent conversion proved to be the visitors' last success as the Old Boys took control of the game. Good counter-attacks from Neil Hannaway and Peter Whealy and some fine support play from Paul Buchanan and Cakebread brought the latter a deserved try. Further tries from Chris Reah and Cuttmore took the score to 39-14. Despite a late period of attacking play from Millwall a fantastic tackle from Buchanan stopped the visitors' right winger in his tracks and brought to an end a game that will give the Old Boys heart for their cup semi-finals this Saturday against Ravens and a possible chance to avenge the league defeats by Stamford, should they reach the final. Report by Pat Stroud
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| 11 December 1999 | |||
Old Boys record an invaluable victory | |||
| Old Brentwoods RFC 1st XV | 10 | ||
| Burnham 1st XV | 0 | ||
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A FINE try from second row Paul Buchanan helped the Old Boys to an unconvincing but vital victory over Burnham.
Starting brightly the Old Boys seemed over eager to score, squandering many chances through their lack of producing a good final pass or over complicating the moves. The try came midway through the first half, Matt Staines collecting the ball in centre field and passing on to Pat Stroud who in turn got the ball out to Paul Buchanan to finish off the fine flowing move. The try was exellently converted by Doug Cuttmore. Rather than being the springboard to produce a high scoring game, the pattern of earlier play returned and the home side continued to create much and deliver little. The second half continued along the same lines through fine runs from James Holmes and Mick Laws and some good lineout jumping from Andy Born did give the Old Boys good early territorial advantage. A penalty from Cuttmore extended the lead further but proved to be the final score as little by little Burnham managed to enjoy more possession, claiming many scrums and being unlucky not to score midway through the half following some sustained pressure. The stout Old Boys defence managed to keep the visitors out and eventually helped them claim a 10-0 victory, and mantain their second placed position in the league. Report by Pat Stroud
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| 27 November 1999 | |||
Late rally sees the old boys victorious | |||
| Ravens 1st XV | 13 | ||
| Old Brentwoods RFC 1st XV | 27 | ||
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The Old Boys were far from their best in Saturday's League match, but managed to fight back in the final quarter of the match to secure victory.
Ravens started the brighter and opened the scoring through a penalty after 10 minutes. It took a further 10 minutes for the Olb Boys to stir into action as they gradually began to secure more ball from set play. Though the visitors were denied a try through James Holmes and missed a penalty soon afterwards the momentum had swung their way and a well crafted break from Matt Staines set Rex Rimmer up for a fine try on the left wing. The try was converted by Laurie Cutmore and five minutes later his brother Doug made the most of the home team's indiscipline to go over for another try. A further penalty from Ravens brought the scoreline to 12-6 at half time. The second half saw the Old Boys begin positively with Paul Buchanan and Chris Cakebread producing surging runs into the Ravens' defence. The possessional and territorial advantages were quickly undone, however when the Ravens' fly-half intercepted a pass and ran the ball in for a fine try from the home team's own 22 yard line. With the conversion being successful Ravens were suddenly 13-12 ahead. After some regrouping and reorganising in the lineout the visitors began to get back into the game and following a lineout, won by Pat Stroud and some slick passing by the backs Perry Reeves went over for a fine try in the left corner. A penalty through Cutmore and a last minute try from Andy Salem, converted by Cutmore gave the visitors victory by the rather flattering margin of 27-13. Report by Pat Stroud
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