Match report by Rick Howe
Our Referee was Nathan Anscomb from Essex.
Photo's Denys Clarke

Crowborough welcomed league leaders Old Elthamians to Steel Cross on Saturday, whose record this season read : Played 18;Won 18 with an average score of 50-15!
During their last encounter ‘Boro were on the wrong end of a better than average, 39-7 scoreline, and after several recent positive results , the home side were reasonably confident of creating an upset.
However late call off s and injury unavailability’s saw a changed line up for the start of the match, featuring several more of the academies budding talent .
This was to be the epitome of the “game of two halves.” Old Elthamians know of only one way to play the game, “fast, direct, and supportive”, straightening the line and committing the defence, to create the try scoring overlaps.
From the first whistle the impressive OE half backs released their back line, but the speed of the ‘Boro defensive line was woefully slow enabling the OE attack to break through the first two tackles , gaining some 20 metres before the third took effect! This enabled quick recycling of the ball and soon OE’s were 7 points to the good from a series of pick and drives.
Crowborough, were not phased by this and made good ground themselves , making the visitors visibly uncomfortable when they had the temerity to camp in their 22. Sadly the pressure could not be maintained, and after several forays towards the OE line, a simple defensive break out ; a missed tackle, and ‘Boro were once more back unsuccessfully defending their own try line, when they leaked another 7 points . 0-14
Although the game flowed the length of the pitch it was always the visitors that came away with points, whilst ‘Boro could only rue the “what if’s” . With half time approaching OE’s ran in three more deja vu tries to take the score to 0-35 HT .
Those on the touch line could only hope of an unlikely revival for the second half. Clearly the coaches had the measure of what was needed, and at the break emphasised the need for a quicker line speed, and a consistent first up tackle count.
Taking the coaches at their word, it was different ‘Boro side that started the second half, rocking the OE attack back on their heels with several devastating hits, causing the normally accurate off loads, to go astray, and provide attacking ball to the home side.
A long diagonal kick from Jared Hermann forced the OE#15 to turn as the ball raced towards the try line with Josh Jarvis in pursuit. As the ball crossed the try line, the two were shoulder to shoulder , and as the ball approached the dead ball line , Jarvis dived to get his hand on the ball to record what he believed was a genuine try, only for the referee to declare that, from his point of view, it was on the line and therefore only a drop out.
With Tommy Dinnis moving the ball away from the forwards contact and with Jared Hermann linking with his backs, OE’s no longer had that air of invincibility, and as the ‘Boro pack drove into the OE 22, a series off-loads involving Dave Bennet and Andrew Kidd drove towards the line with the final pass snapped up by Connor Hand who crossed over for a Jared Hermann converted try.7-35
There the score remained, with ‘Boro claiming the bragging rights to winning the second half, keeping them in 7th place in spite of several other remarkable results involving teams at either end of the table.
Crowborough’s next outing will be at Steel Cross 11/4/26 against Beccahamians RFC , who, by losing out to Cranbrook in a high scoring game in South London this Saturday, remain in 8th place four points behind ‘Boro.