Match Report
|
| Date - 31st January 2004 |
Old Brentwoods -v- Ravens |
| Essex Division 2 |
| Old Brentwoods 48 Ravens 0 |
| |
| Old Brentwoods beat Ravens by 48 points to 0 in atrocious conditions at Ashwells Road on Saturday. |
| In spite of strong winds, heavy rain, and a muddy pitch, the Old Boys managed to score eight unanswered tries in a display of adventurous, running rugby, drawing level in the league on points with second-placed South Woodham Ferrers. |
| With the home side playing into a strong headwind in the first half, the conditions meant that there would be lots of handling errors, and it was from a dropped ball by Ravens that the first try came. Fullback James Faiers picked up the spilled ball and made good yards before passing to Paul Sier, the winger using his pace to score and then converting his own try. |
| Five minutes later Sier added to his tally: outside centre Neil Hannaway picked up the loose ball and made some ground before setting up the ruck. The ball was worked back by flanker Womersley to scrum half Warrilow who passed to Tentner, the inside centre penetrating the defensive line and releasing the winger to score in the corner. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful this time however. |
| Forwards and backs combined again for the third try. A strong scrummage from the Old Boys’ pack provided Number 8 Mullen with the chance to pick up and run at the opposition before passing to Warrilow, who then passed to Reah. The fly half popped a well-timed pass to Tentner, who embarked on a winding run through the defence and beat three tacklers to the line. The conversion attempt from Sier was on target, but stalled in the increasingly-strong headwind, and the scoreline at half time remained 17-0. |
| With the wind behind them in the second half Old Brentwoods wasted little time in extending their lead. Croom tapped the ball back from the lineout to Warrilow and the ball was passed down the line to Tentner, who again wove through the defence before showing great strength in the tackle to cross the line for his second try. Sier obliged with the two extra points. |
| If the backs had monopolised the scoring up to this point, it was now the turn of the forwards, with Mullen linking well with Barton for the prop to bulldoze his way through the defence and score out wide. Sier again converted. |
| Good handling in the backs by Hannaway and left wing Bourne then released man of the match Demaray, the hooker scoring in the corner despite having his collar grabbed. This time the conversion attempt was narrowly missed. |
| The lead was further extended through good work by the Old Boys’ pack at the scrum. A huge shove to win the ball against the head enabled Mullen to pick up and drive over for his second try, which Sier converted. The move was then replicated by Holmes, replacing Mullen at the back of the scrum with Saini coming on to flank. Sier was unable to convert this time, however, leaving his personal tally at 18 points. |
| Ravens did not give up and fought back valiantly, forcing handling errors with the slippery ball to prevent Bache and then Bourne from adding to the scoreline, and only being denied a consolation try of their own by good covering defence by Hughes, on as a replacement for Hannaway. There were to be no further scores however, and the game finished at 48-0. |
| Next week Old Brentwoods 1st XV play host to Brentwood 2nd XV in a non-league fixture, whilst the Old Boys’ 2nd XV travel to play Brentwood 3rd XV and hope to repeat the recent victory over their local Merit Table rivals. |