London League 2 SE is a tough league. After seven rounds, and still to record a win, Crowborough, as the sole Sussex representative, are finding it very tough indeed.
However Crowborough, collectively and individually do have the ability to revive their season. The confidence that that elusive win will bring, will be crucial, but equally important will be the collective acceptance and slavish adherance of their coaches’ game plan.
Dartfordian’s arrived in a healthy sixth place, and like opponents in the previous six rounds proceeded to force the pace and deny possession to the home side. During the first ten minutes it was ‘Boro whose defence was again tested, but frustrated the visitors who could not break through with their robust pack.
However after 10 minutes the visitors, tired of battering against an immovable object slung the ball wide, finding an overlap to score out wide for a well converted try.0-7
Five minutes later Dartfordians were back recording another seven points, but the ‘Boro side had not given up and came back with an Alex Purnell inspired drive down the middle and an offload to Tom Burgess who scored out wide on the right. The kick went wide. 5-14
This was a fine demonstration of individual performances, and a glimmer of what could be, should there be a collective team response. Several attacking attempts by the home side using hard won ball, came to naught as they attempted over-complicated and unnecessary moves, and in doing so failed to straighten the line and draw the defence, leaving the wings little or no room to manoeuvre.
Crowborough were still in this game when cruelly Dartfordians, unable to wear down the ‘Boro central defence placed a speculative kick fifty metres down towards the ‘Boro line. Shepherding the ball as it agonisingly slowed down as it approached the line, the mercurial Dartford winger arrived scooping up the ball to record the try that went unconverted.5-19
Crowborough’s vision still could not get the collective possession moving, and it was yet again two pieces of individualism, when Lewis, who, seeing Burgess wide out on his wing, slung a huge 25 metre pass, that Burgess latched onto after the first fortuitous bounce, and side stepping the cover scored his second unconverted try 10-19 , making it a 9 point game as half time arrived.
From the kick off Dartfordians scored the best try of the match, as the ball went through ten pairs of hands before scoring out wide on the left which went unconverted. 10-24.
A high tackle to James Hart, and Dartfordians were reduced to 14 players, and with the man advantage Crowborough moved the ball to the right, and as the maul formed and crossed the line, it was Dave Bennett who emerged with the ball for yet another unconverted try, when the ball pinged off the post.15-24
As time slipped by the writing was on the wall, and a 40 metre penalty saw the scoreboard move further away from the home side, and when the Dartfordian second row threw the most outrageous dummy to slip over for the final converted score, Crowborough were left rueing their mistakes and missed opportunities, as they slipped a place into 11th position. From the Final Score of 15-34
Next Saturday Crowborough travel to 7th placed Beccahamians once more hoping to reverse their fortunes, at a venue that has not been the happiest of hunting grounds in recent seasons.