Match Report
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| Date - 1st October 2005 |
Old Brentwoods 1st XV -v- Loughton 1st XV |
| Essex 2 |
| Old Brentwoods 15 Loughton 15 |
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| Loughton came to Ashwells Road off the back of two good wins against the two newly promoted sides, Writtle and Clacton, but knowing that, in their search for a third win on the spin, recent history would be against them: visits to OBRFC over the past few seasons have seen the home team come out on top.
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| Having resisted early pressure from the visitors, OBRFC drove up field and earned a penalty in kickable range. Dean Bourne converted the opportunity and gave OBRFC an early 3-0 lead.
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| Loughton responded well and hit back at OBRFC hard. Loughton's game revolved around their strong, direct running and quick, thorough rucking; an abrasive style that OBRFC found difficult to contend with.
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| Loughton opened the try-scoring with a hallmark drive, developing several quick phases of play and sucking in OBRFC defenders, before crashing through close to the posts.
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| OBRFC responded to the challenge and their scrum started to dominate, this despite losing prop Gary Fryett to a freakish injury in the early exchanges. The tight five of Charlie Raymond, Matt Warrilow, replacement prop Gary Murphy and locks Bill Hayes and Tim Croom turned up the heat and disrupted the Loughton set piece.
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| This strength up front allowed OBRFC's backs into the match as an attacking force. Scrum half Alastair Rigden and fly half Chris Reah marshalled the game well and were able to release the outside backs, where OBRFC had an obvious advantage.
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| OBRFC varied their play intelligently and, having threatened on the outside on several occasions, with winger Adam Steadman's pace causing Loughton real problems, sent powerhouse centre Andrew West up through the heart of the Loughton midfield. Loughton's cover defence scrambled and was able to thwart the attack but the territorial gain set up good field position for OBRFC.
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| The first half drew to a close with OBRFC on the attack once again. They fed the ball wide where Gareth Boyce, just on for the injured Neil Tentner at outside centre, linked well with Matt Brown, a constant threat from full back. Loughton's cover defence held them up but OBRFC recycled the ball and spun it across to the opposite wing for Adam Steadman to score and take OBRFC into half time with an 8-7 advantage.
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| OBRFC dominated the early exchanges in the second half, especially up front, but an injury to prop Charlie Raymond left OBRFC without a front row and, with the scrums uncontested, robbed them of that dominance.
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| The game then ebbed and flowed as each sided wrestled for control. To their cost OBRFC were sucked into a style of play more akin to Loughton's than their own, too often taking the ball into the opposition midfield rather than using their obvious outside advantage.
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| It was when, deep in their own 22, OBRFC did put width on their play that they produced the game’s outstanding score. Deft handling, intelligent support and clever running lines allowed Gareth Boyce, Matt Brown and Dean Bourne to break down the right wing before feeding the ball back inside through the same hands and to openside flanker Matthew Staines for him to score under the posts.
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| With the score at 15-7 Loughton did not lie down and fought back at OBRFC, driving hard through the centre of the pitch. OBRFC were at full stretch as the effects of a hard, physical encounter began to take their toll. OBRFC had by now used all their substitutes and were forced down to thirteen men as they lost second row Bill Hayes to a rib injury, and fly half Chris Reah, who had to leave the field as a clash of heads with his own team-mate caused a nasty cut.
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| Loughton kicked a penalty to bring themselves back into contention, and in the final throws of the match they had the Old Boys under constant pressure. Despite a magnificent defensive effort, with No.8 Chris Keogh, blindside Tim Cuthbert and second-half replacement Scott Inglis to the fore, they were unable to hold out and Loughton crashed over for a second try.
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| Loughton's fly half had the conversion to win the game. He missed. This was the last action of the match, the result of which left the visitors, despite the missed conversion, far happier than their hosts.
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