Match Report
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| Date - 29th January 2005 |
May & Baker 1st XV -v- Old Brentwoods 1st XV |
| Essex 2 |
| May & Baker 3 Old Brentwoods 7 |
| |
| The Old Boys produced their best performance of the year to defeat the
team that are second in the table.
|
| With confidence high following their 127-0 victory of the previous
week the visitors started well and took the game to their opponents.
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| Early exchanges up front suggested that the contest would be evenly
matched and this proved to be the case throughout the game.
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| A penalty after ten minutes for May and Baker gave them the
early advantage but it only served to move the Old Boys into a higher
gear. Great support play from Matt Staines and James Holmes helped the blues
secure loose ball in midfield and with Neil Hannaway producing some
typical darting runs the Old Boys were quickly threatening the home
team's line straight after the restart. Matt Warrilow passed the ball out
from the base of the ruck to Neil Tentner and from five yards out the centre
powered his way over the line to score beside the posts. Warrilow
slotted the conversion making the score 3-7.
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| The remainder of the half saw the Old Boys make more opportunities
for themselves but the defence of the home team stood firm and the score
remained unaltered at half time.
|
| The second half saw the home team pick up their game and it was they
that threatened most in the early exchanges.
|
| The lineouts saw some success for the Old Boys through Tim Croom,
Matt Staines and Pat Stroud, and helped to secure good ball for the
backs. Scrums remained even but it was the Old Boys that seemed to make
more of their ball as the half wore on. This, combined with the home team
scrum half being continually caught offside, gave the visitors the
breathing space they needed.
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| The May and Baker pack continued to use the rolling maul to make
progress up the field but despite some success they were never able to
convert this advantage into points. Great tackling from all, and in
particular Andy West, Paul Buchanan and Charlie Raymond, prevented May and
Baker from ever breaching the visitors' line.
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| Good counterattacking from Paul Sier, Alex Hughes and Dean Bourne
continually frustrated the home team whenever they looked threatening.
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| The Old Boys' discipline and defence stood firm and despite claims for
tries in the closing stages from both sides, neither was given. The
sound of the final whistle was greeted with much relief from the
visitors but the result was no more than they deserved for their
collective efforts.
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