Match Report |
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| Date -22/9/01 | Old Brentwoods 1st XV -v- South Woodham Ferrers 1st XV |
| Old Brentwoods lost 14 - 23 | |
| Old Brentwoods Scorers
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| Player Player Award - | |
| Despite missing several key players the Old
Boy's pushed the home team all the way in their first league game of
the season. Starting brightly if was the visitors that opened the scoring, Alex Hughes slotting over a penalty after 5 minutes following an offside in mid-field by South Woodham. The reply was not long in coming as the Old Boy's missed some early tackles, enabling the home team to spread the ball wide & score a try in the right corner. The try remained unconverted but the score gave South Woodham the impetus to dictate the play for the next 10 minutes. Some great tackling from Paul Buchanan & Peter Womerley thwarted attacks from the Woodham back row & this coupled with some fine clearance work from Neil Hannaway & Chris Reah helped the visitors keep the score line in check. An indiscretion in the Old Boy's "22" gave Woodham the chance to extend their lead which they duly obliged in doing. Far from knocking the visitors resolve the Old Boy's replied with 2 penalties of their own,both fine kicks from Hugues to allow the visitors to go in at half-time with a 9-8 lead. Despite convincing themselves that a good start to the second half was vital the Old Boy's slipped into their old ways, conceding a soft try from the second-half kick off. Some more spirited play from the visitors followed but the momentum remained with South Woodham for the next 10 minutes. Despite some success for Pat Stroud in the line-outs it was the home team line-outs that proved better drilled & ultimately provided better ball for the Woodham three-quarters. Brave defending from Andy Born & Mick Laws among others did stem the home team progress but a further successful penalty from Woodham was a fair reward for their pressure, extending their lead to 16-9. As the game appeared to be slipping away from the Old Boy's Jamie Davies managed to claim a scrummage success against the head near to the Old Boy's line. A fine move from Hannaway resulted in the scrum -half releasing James Holmes on the halfway line, the centre evading the Woodham defensive efforts to score beside the posts. Hughes was unable to level the scores with his conversion attempt however & the resulting kick off proved to be the defining moment of the game. Some sloppy play at the back of a ruck in mid-field gave the home team the chance to run in, almost un-opposed, to score a try to the right of the posts. The resulting conversion proved to be the last score as the Old Boy's were unable to forge an opening in the last 5 minutes of the game leaving Woodham to claim all the spoils with a 23-14 victory. |
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