Old Brentwoods put in a solid performance
to beat May & Baker in this bottom of
the table clash. The Old Boys, languishing at second bottom having been
narrowly
defeated by the top 3 sides in the division, took the game to the visitors
from
the off.
Quick, clean ball was won up front and recycled twice before May &
Baker
conceded a penalty deep inside their own half. Old Brentwoods surprisingly
decided to tap & go and caught May & Baker on the back foot
whereupon Mole
scored impressively in the corner.
May & Baker responded well to this by forcing their own penalty
shortly after
with which they opted for 3 points. In what was becoming a free-flowing
game, it
was then the turn of the Old Boys backs. Some unselfish play from
Tentner &
Cutmore set Mole up who steamed over in the corner to add to his tally.
This time, the Old Boys did not allow May & Baker back into the
game & there was
a good battle between each of the packs trying to establish the upper-hand.
May
& Baker looked good going forward from their catch & drive
from the lineout and
spread the ball whenever they could. However, they didn't get much
change from
the Blues' defensive line, which was well marshalled by Cutmore junior
&
reverted to kicking. This possession was seized on by the back 3 of
Cutmore,
Hughes and Mole.
Old Brentwoods seemed to be dominating in the scrums and particularly
in the
rucks with some good work from the back row of White, Gooday and Born.
This saw
them hold onto possession more and grind down the opposition's bigger
pack. When
the gaps appeared, the Old Boys backs showed better form than of late
& secured
2 more tries before half-time, one from the larger Cutmore and one
from Neil
Tentner.
At half-time, May & Baker were definitely still in the game &
were making the
most of what possession they had. However, their lineout ball was
disrupted by
the switching of pack-leader Born to the front of the lineout. This
led to some
frustrations boiling over, but the referee showed good restraint.
The second half remained scoreless until a strike against the head,
which was
testament to the hard work of the tight five of Womersley, Davies,
Raymond,
O'Connor & Buchanan. The ball was worked back through several
pairs of hands
before Holmes off-loaded to Hannaway who scored for a breakaway try
under posts.
Another typically barnstorming try soon after by man of the match
Neil Tentner
virtually guaranteed Old Brentwoods 2 valuable points.
The win really has to be put down to the forwards. They battled hard
and were
willing to push each other that extra inch. They kept the pressure
up on the May
& Baker pack and forced the gaps in defence which the backs with
their
refreshingly unselfish play were glad to capitalise on.
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