This was a matchup between the top and bottom of the table, and only the most optimistic of optimists would have predicted anything other than a South London win, despite ‘Boros last minute heroic come back the previous week!
With the crowd boosted by a boisterous lunchtime crowd of past players, Crowborough started in their now customary lively manner, with neither side getting the upper hand. The two packs were well matched, and the two sets of backs cancelled out promising moves with competent defensive work.
As the first quarter came to an end, OA’s found space round the edge of a ruck in front of the ‘Boro posts and the #10 scampered over for the first score that was simply converted.0-7
Up until this moment ‘Boro had contained the threatening OA backs by cutting down the space between the lines, but as the match wore on, ‘Boro’s line speed dropped off, allowing the well drilled OA backs to exploit the space and in gaining momentum break through the defensive line.
Conversely, when ‘Boro attacked, the OA backs were quick out of the blocks often catching man and ball before it reached the outside centre spot, thwarting any attacking options. This was a high risk tactic as it left acres of space behind the advancing line and in front of the lone defender, that an old fashioned grubber kick or chip over the top would have exploited to keep the OA’s backs honest, but that opportunity was ignored, and the initiative remained with the visitors.
It was always going to be a difficult day at the office, and was to be made harder still, when a speculative kick by the OA full back fell short of Ollie Clinch who managed to get a toe to it, and in chasing his kick made a clumsy head high tackle that saw him spend ten minutes in the bin, during which OA’s added a further unconverted try. 0-12
With Ollie Clinch fully rested and with the half running down, OA’s attempted to add to their score with an attack down the left wing, and with Clinch the sole defender. With the final pass a shoe-in score, Clinch attempted to intercept it, but knocked the ball on, which the official adjudged to be deliberate. The yellow was brandished followed by the red for a two yellow card offence and ‘Boro were down to 14 men for the remainder of the match. The half time whistle went with the score 0-12 and with ‘Boro still in with a shout.
Soon after the restart ‘Boro reduced the deficit to 7 when James Hart, who was having his best start of the season, combined with Michael Stevens to exploit the 10/12 channel to score to the left of the posts, but the kick was pulled.5-12
After a penalty was awarded for back chat taking OA’s to 5-15, any thoughts of a repeated come back of the previous week went out of the window as the defence disintegrated allowing in three more tries before Crowborough’s pack gained a collective push over try, touched down by Andrew Kidd brought the final score to 10-37.
Crowborough remain firmly fixed to the bottom of this most competitive of tables, six points behind 9th placed Folkestone and 19 points behind Bromley who are in joint 3rd place, whom ‘Boro visit this coming week.