Match Report
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| Date - 7th February 2004 |
Brentwood 3rd XV -v- Old Brentwoods 2nd XV |
| Merit Table |
| Brentwood III 10 Old Brentwoods II 12 |
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| Old Brentwoods 2nd XV completed the double over local Merit Table rivals Brentwood 3rd XV in a closely-contested game last Saturday.
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| In spite of a plucky attempt from the home side to avenge their recent heavy away defeat at the hands of their local rivals, they were unable to claim the points in a blustery encounter at King George’s Fields.
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| Brentwood, playing with the advantage of the wind and the slope, took an early lead after a scrum near their opponents’ line produced the opportunity to pick up and drive over for a try which remained unconverted.
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| Old Brentwoods tried to respond, keeping the ball in hand, but were frustrated by handling errors which saw turnover ball kicked back deep into their own territory. It was from such a clearance that a lineout produced the second try for the home side, several phases of play eventually seeing them overcoming the spirited Old Boys’ defence and crossing the try-line for a 10-0 lead.
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| Individual breaks from Hughes, Sier and Peace in the backs and Davis in the forwards threatened to bring scoring opportunities for the visitors but ultimately came to nothing. Inside centre Buchanan, too was stifled in midfield by committed defence by the home side.
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| Then, just moments before half-time, Old Brentwoods outside centre Sier was released by a pass from fullback Peace to penetrate the defence and score under the posts to allow Reeves to convert, bringing the half-time scoreline to 10-7.
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| In the second half it was the Old Boys’ turn to use the conditions to their advantage, scoring an early try as scrum half Hughes took a quick tap penalty and made good ground before passing to the supporting Haddock. The “flying fish” drew the opposing fullback and passed to flanker O’Connor, who sprinted to the line to score what was to remain an unconverted try.
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| At 10-12, the visitors could have further extended their lead as winger Hannaway shrewdly intercepted a pass at the halfway-line and chipped a kick over the defending fullback before outpacing the defence to the ball, but he was denied as an unfortunate bounce caused him to knock the ball on over the tryline.
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| A subsequent penalty attempt from Old Brentwoods fly half Reeves also failed to increase the gap as it drifted just wide, and the home side tried to counter with running rugby through their three-quarters which might well have been rewarded with a try but for an excellent covering tackle in the corner from Mike Bache.
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| There were to be no further scores and the match finished at 10-12 in what had been a closely-contested but good-spirited contest between the local rivals, the visitors consolidating their superior position in the Merit Table.
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| Next week Old Brentwoods 2nd XV host Campion 3rd XV in a friendly at Ashwells Road.
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