BackSat 11 Dec 2021 · London 2 South East
Old Colfeians
1st XV
36
12
A Grey Day at Horn Park
Ian GEERING12 Dec 2021 - 10:34
The score line doesn't justify the performance and effort put in by the Steel Cross boys. At times we were the better side ! But the Two OC's Winger's had the final say !!
Match report by Rick Howe.
On a dank miserable afternoon in South London, 3rd placed OC’s moved up a place, by virtue of this defeat of 10th placed Crowborough, who arrived with several enforced changes to the previous weeks’ line-up.
There was no doubt that OC’s thoroughly deserved their victory, but it would not be too uncharitable to suggest that ‘Boro were the prime architects for the disparity of the scoreline, with poor handling and lack of tactical awareness being at the forefront of the 24 point deficit.
With a gargantuan OC pack, ‘Boro looked diminutive, but were to confound their opposite numbers, by competing at the set pieces, and disrupting the loose play, while later in the match out-mauling the fast tiring home side.
From the kick off the ball was knocked on, then handled off-side. From the line out Crowborough defended the forward drive before clearing up field, only for the ball to unerringly find it’s way straight into the arms of the compact left wing, who took the ball at real pace. With a low centre of gravity, and a pile driver of a handoff, he swerved around the first attempted tackle, handed off the second and galloped over for the try with less than two minutes on the clock! In what was to be his only miss of the afternoon the #10 pulled the kick. 5-0
Having leaked their customary early score, Crowborough knuckled down to winning and controlling possession, competing well for the 50/50 balls with Alex Purnell leading by example, with the pack providing close driving support. However, after 10 minutes it was to be OC’s who once more crossed the white wash through their huge #3 who high stepped his way through several attempted tackles to score under the posts for a converted try 12-0.
Crowborough had been in this position all too often this season, and could easily have cracked. But for the remainer of the half ‘Boro took the ball to OC’s with the ‘Boro backs at last getting into the game with some expansive but inconclusive running.
The OC back division was well drilled, cutting down the space between the two lines forcing ‘Boro to line up deep, often unable to get over the gain line. To make matters more difficult, the excellent OC #15 had marshalled his back three so well, that clear space in which to kick was made a lottery. However, as much as ‘Boro were frustrated in their attempts to break down the OC defence, they entered the break just 12-0 down.
From the restart, ‘Boro threw everything into reducing the deficit, with backs and forwards driving deep into the OC’s 22. Several pick and drives were held up just short of the line, before the point of attack moved out wide, only to be met by a well drilled drift defence. Back into the centre once more Dave Bennet supported by Andy Kidd drove into the heart of the defence, and with the ball cycled to the back of the maul Alex Purnell peeled off to crash over for the score. The conversion was pulled wide by James Hart. 12-5
From the kick off, rather than setting up another attack, an unnecessary clearance kick landed once more with the #14 on his own 22. Within a nano-second he was at full pace, out-flanking the hapless cover, scoring out wide without a finger being placed on him. The kick was pulled. 19-5
As ‘Boro formulated attempts to get back on terms ‘Boro’s back three were sucked into the attack leaving a Serengeti sized space for the OC half backs to exploit.
With the # 14 having scored twice, not to be out done the # 11 was next on the score sheet , when a mis-directed kick was gratefully snapped up and with a pace , not to dissimilar to his #14 colleague, he slalomed through the cover to cross the line and dot the ball down between the sticks for another converted try. 26-5
This was disheartening for the visitors, and it was testimony to their character that they did not fold, but instead upped their game. With the maul having proved so successful for Purnell’s try, and with the home side visibly tiring , Andy Kidd finished off a similar move, with James Hart converting to give the visitors a glimmer of hope of getting something from this match, with still 10 minutes to go. 26-12
However a well struck OC penalty put more space between the sides before the #14 exploited space at the back to secure his hat trick. 36-12
With seconds remaining Rob Horsfall-Turner crossed the line, but with the referee on the wrong side of the ruck, and with OC’s claiming the ball was held up, the official disappointingly blew for full time at 36-12 !
Crowborough face league leaders Gravesend at Steel Cross at 2:00pm in their final game of the year with the team all knowing what they have to do improve on, in order to reverse the earlier result at the beginning of the season.
On a dank miserable afternoon in South London, 3rd placed OC’s moved up a place, by virtue of this defeat of 10th placed Crowborough, who arrived with several enforced changes to the previous weeks’ line-up.
There was no doubt that OC’s thoroughly deserved their victory, but it would not be too uncharitable to suggest that ‘Boro were the prime architects for the disparity of the scoreline, with poor handling and lack of tactical awareness being at the forefront of the 24 point deficit.
With a gargantuan OC pack, ‘Boro looked diminutive, but were to confound their opposite numbers, by competing at the set pieces, and disrupting the loose play, while later in the match out-mauling the fast tiring home side.
From the kick off the ball was knocked on, then handled off-side. From the line out Crowborough defended the forward drive before clearing up field, only for the ball to unerringly find it’s way straight into the arms of the compact left wing, who took the ball at real pace. With a low centre of gravity, and a pile driver of a handoff, he swerved around the first attempted tackle, handed off the second and galloped over for the try with less than two minutes on the clock! In what was to be his only miss of the afternoon the #10 pulled the kick. 5-0
Having leaked their customary early score, Crowborough knuckled down to winning and controlling possession, competing well for the 50/50 balls with Alex Purnell leading by example, with the pack providing close driving support. However, after 10 minutes it was to be OC’s who once more crossed the white wash through their huge #3 who high stepped his way through several attempted tackles to score under the posts for a converted try 12-0.
Crowborough had been in this position all too often this season, and could easily have cracked. But for the remainer of the half ‘Boro took the ball to OC’s with the ‘Boro backs at last getting into the game with some expansive but inconclusive running.
The OC back division was well drilled, cutting down the space between the two lines forcing ‘Boro to line up deep, often unable to get over the gain line. To make matters more difficult, the excellent OC #15 had marshalled his back three so well, that clear space in which to kick was made a lottery. However, as much as ‘Boro were frustrated in their attempts to break down the OC defence, they entered the break just 12-0 down.
From the restart, ‘Boro threw everything into reducing the deficit, with backs and forwards driving deep into the OC’s 22. Several pick and drives were held up just short of the line, before the point of attack moved out wide, only to be met by a well drilled drift defence. Back into the centre once more Dave Bennet supported by Andy Kidd drove into the heart of the defence, and with the ball cycled to the back of the maul Alex Purnell peeled off to crash over for the score. The conversion was pulled wide by James Hart. 12-5
From the kick off, rather than setting up another attack, an unnecessary clearance kick landed once more with the #14 on his own 22. Within a nano-second he was at full pace, out-flanking the hapless cover, scoring out wide without a finger being placed on him. The kick was pulled. 19-5
As ‘Boro formulated attempts to get back on terms ‘Boro’s back three were sucked into the attack leaving a Serengeti sized space for the OC half backs to exploit.
With the # 14 having scored twice, not to be out done the # 11 was next on the score sheet , when a mis-directed kick was gratefully snapped up and with a pace , not to dissimilar to his #14 colleague, he slalomed through the cover to cross the line and dot the ball down between the sticks for another converted try. 26-5
This was disheartening for the visitors, and it was testimony to their character that they did not fold, but instead upped their game. With the maul having proved so successful for Purnell’s try, and with the home side visibly tiring , Andy Kidd finished off a similar move, with James Hart converting to give the visitors a glimmer of hope of getting something from this match, with still 10 minutes to go. 26-12
However a well struck OC penalty put more space between the sides before the #14 exploited space at the back to secure his hat trick. 36-12
With seconds remaining Rob Horsfall-Turner crossed the line, but with the referee on the wrong side of the ruck, and with OC’s claiming the ball was held up, the official disappointingly blew for full time at 36-12 !
Crowborough face league leaders Gravesend at Steel Cross at 2:00pm in their final game of the year with the team all knowing what they have to do improve on, in order to reverse the earlier result at the beginning of the season.
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