Match Report
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| Date - 4th December 2004 |
Bancroft 1st XV -v- Old Brentwoods 1st XV |
| Essex 2 |
| Bancroft 21 Old Brentwoods 5 |
| |
| The Old Boys failed to extend their unbeaten league run to five games,
falling short to a well-organised Bancroft side.
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| Both teams went into the game with confidence but it was the home team
that seemed more eager and more focused from the start. They converted
this advantage into points ten minutes into the game following a well-worked move on the left wing which resulted in a fine try.
The conversion was unsuccessful but the Bancroft kicker did not have
long to wait for his next opportunities to kick for goal. A ten-minute
spell saw the Old Boys lose concentration and a succession of penalties
resulted in the score moving up to 11-0 after twenty minutes.
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| The Old Boys were being asked questions in all areas but responded
well as the half wore on.The solid scrums and reliable line-outs helped
secure good ball for the backs to work with.
However the play at the breakdowns was sloppy and the lack of cohesion
often undid any good work that had been done.
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| Matt Staines and Gary Barton raised their game in the loose and some good
breaks from Chris Reah and Dean Bourne brought some territorial gains.
However for all their efforts the pressure could not be converted into
points
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| The second half saw the Old Boys pick up their game further. Both Tim
Croom and Pat Stroud provided good ball at the line-out and Charlie
Raymond produced some surging runs to set up good ball for the backs.
The upping of the visitors' work rate coincided with Bancroft losing
their concentration and discipline.
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| Typical darting runs from Neil Hanaway from penalties and some strong
running from Paul Buchanan and James Holmes among others gave the Old
Boys the possession they needed to stage a fightback. Penalties within
kicking range were instead kicked to touch to seek the vital try but the
visiting team's line-out supremacy further down the field was not emulated
when most required.
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| Bancroft continued to clear their line impressively, their fly half
having an exceptional game and a further break from them gave them
another penalty to extend their lead.
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| The Old Boys got their reward with minutes to go, James Holmes hauling
himself over the line to score a deserved try beside the posts.
Matt Warrilow missed the kick which in a way epitomised the match for
the Blues. This was further underlined when Bancroft burst through the
visitors' defensive lines to score with the last movement of the game.
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| The final score of 21-5 didn't truly reflect the game but underlined
the stark truth that the Old Boys still need to raise their game higher
if they are to challenge teams at the top of the division.
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