Match Report
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| Date - 10th January 2004 |
Old Brentwoods -v- South Woodham Ferrers |
| Essex Division 2 |
| Old Brentwoods 20 South Woodham Ferrers 27 |
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| Old Brentwoods’ run of seven league victories in a row that had raised them to third in the table came to an end on Saturday when they lost 20-27 to South Woodham Ferrers in a tense but good-spirited encounter at Ashwells Road. |
| It was always likely to be a close game, with the Old Boys hoping to leapfrog the visiting team into second place in the league, and South Woodham Ferrers keen to avenge their heavy home defeat from earlier in the season. |
| The home side were quickly onto the scoreboard after just 3 minutes, when a penalty in the opposition’s twenty-two was quickly taken by number 8 Mullen, who rampaged Lomu-like towards the line before passing to Womersley, the prop crashing through two tacklers to score. The conversion was missed. |
| Any hopes of a repeat of the scoreline from the reverse fixture fizzled out, however, as the ensuing period was played in the middle of the park, with neither side able to gain an advantage. Good tactical kicking from fly half Reah and fullback Faiers put the visitors under pressure repeatedly, but they defended well and responded with good running rugby that would have resulted in a try but for a superb covering tackle from flanker Holmes. More determined defence was required by the Old Boys as they were then besieged in front of their own try line until they finally gave away a penalty for offside in front of the posts, which was duly put over. |
| Old Brentwoods responded by pressuring the visitors from the restart, forcing a hurried clearance that missed touch and instead found Faiers. The fullback embarked on a darting run, avoiding several tacklers before giving a long pass that was superbly taken by inside centre Tentner, who passed to the omnipresent Holmes. The flanker then offloaded to outside centre Bourne, who pinned his ears back and aimed for the corner but was just tackled into touch 5 metres out. From the lineout, flanker Williams got possession and was driven over by the pack for the try, which remained unconverted. |
| There followed another period of sustained possession by South Woodham Ferrers in the Old Boys’ twenty-two which saw them cross the try line only to be called back for having knocked on. They were then driven back by some excellent Old Brentwoods scrummaging inspired by pack-leader Paddy Bache, and some ferocious tackling. A clearance kick from Tentner was reclaimed by the chasing Sier on the wing, but he was bundled into touch. In the dying seconds of the first half the home side were awarded a penalty within kicking range after Faiers broke through the defence and released Holmes on a barracking run up to the opposition’s twenty-two. Scrum half Warrilow slotted it between the uprights and the half finished at 13-3. |
| Barton replaced Raymond at prop at half-time, and ten minutes later Stroud came on for Williams in the back row, but there was no change as the Old Brentwoods pack piled on the pressure, driving the visitors back on several occasions. South Woodham Ferrers continued to look dangerous with the ball in hand, however, and ten minutes into the second period a break from just inside their own half which looked likely to reward them with their first try was only brought to an end by a heroic tackle from Faiers. It was to be his last contribution, however, as he left the field needing stitches to a nose wound he received in the process, being replaced by Shouksmith. |
| The Old Boys pack managed to drive the ball up to half-way after hooker Demaray found Croom at the lineout, but the ball was turned over and, with an impressive attack first down the right-hand side, and then along the three-quarters, the visitors overcame some spirited tackling by the home defence to score a try in the left corner, which was then converted, bringing them within 3 points. Eight minutes later they went into the lead, crashing over in the corner from a 5-metre scrum. Eager to regain the advantage, Old Brentwoods decided to try running the ball from their own twenty-two, electing to take quick penalties instead of clearing their lines. They were made to regret this when they lost possession and the South Woodham Ferrers right wing punished them, running round the defence and grounding the ball under the posts, enabling a simple conversion to be kicked. |
| With the score at 13-22, the home side was forced to try running the ball from their own half: the visitors using any possession to kick the ball deep into Old Brentwoods territory. With just 5 minutes remaining, a chipped kick from the South Woodham Ferrers number 8 bounced cruelly away from the home defence and straight into the hands of the onrushing right wing, who then had an unopposed run to the try line. The conversion attempt hit the post, but with the Old Boys needing two converted tries to draw level, the result seemed certain. Showing indomitable spirit, however, they came back at the end with a superb break up to the halfway line from left wing Hannaway, who then passed to fellow winger Sier. He held the ball up waiting for support to arrive, and from the ruck which formed the ball was released to Reah, and then to Tentner who progressed to the twenty-two before offloading to Shouksmith, the replacement fullback scoring under the posts. Warrilow kicked the conversion and when the final whistle was blown immediately afterwards with the score at 20:27, the home side were left regretting not having capitalised fully on their halftime lead. |
| Old Brentwoods’ next league game is in a fortnight, when they travel to Loughton. |