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Writtle Wanderers RUFC |
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Writtle Wanderers RUFC |
February 2005 Match Reports
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Man of the Match: Graham Gillitt
What is there to say about the shambles that was our trip to Brentwood? We got 20 players there alright, but no shirts!
Although the shirts turned up shortly into the second half, the game was pretty well lost by then! No-one seemed to be up for this game, several players had been out late the night before and it showed! Our only scoring opportunities were a penalty kick at goal and a maul which crashed over the line but the ball was not grounded!
A few players did shine - notably Graham Gillett who tore about like a terrier tackling everything that came his way - and Phil Sotriades who was a constant thorn in OB's side! The introduction of Ben Campion in the second half gave the forwards some drive to take the game to the opposition and Neil Theobald reacted well with some good runs.
With Tim Janes playing out of position at full back, Paul Read carried ball after ball in the centres, but the support was rarely there when needed and a lot of turnovers resulted. Old Brentwoods scored at least two or three of their tries from spilled Wanderers' ball, which enabled them to run and kick the ball through a rather ragged backline.
All in all, a pretty shambolic affair!
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Scorers:
Tries: Clark 4, Szyczak, Dempsey,
Horne, Janes, Brown
Convs: Clark 5
Man of the Match: Tommy Young
Wanderers Win Through to the Final!
Sorry, no report submitted!
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Scorers:
Tries: Messo, Penalty Try
Conv: Blythe
Man of the Match: Richie Richards
2nd XV Hang on For Win!
Sorry, no report submitted.
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Scorers:
Tries: Dempsey, T Young
Conv: Clark
Pens: Clark 4
Man of the Match: Ben Szyczak
Wanderers Prove Their Credentials!
With our Essex 3 opposition, Old Cooperians, crying off the day before this game, it was a stroke of luck that Essex 2 side Bancroft were also let down by their opposition and looking for a game. With the Wanderers missing a few regular players, this game looked to be one that would prove a good test of those available - Bancroft are challenging hard for a runners-up spot and promotion from Essex 2 this season!
With a bitingly cold wind whipping across the pitches, the sides took to the field keen to get the blood moving to warm themselves up! Jack Redfern took up the captaincy, with Tim Janes taking a resting on the bench this week, and the forwards showed a lot of skill and determination against a larger Bancroft pack. The scrums held firm, lineout ball was very good and the forward runners constantly made the gain line to give clean ball for Man of the Match, Ben Szyczak, to recycle to the backs.
The first try eventually came from a superb piece of work by Tommy Young, playing at No.8 this week. He took the ball up the blind side wing, breaking two or three tackles as he made 30 or 40 yards. Eventually pulled down a few yards short of the line, he made the ball available and excellent support work released it to the back line. Fly-half, Mark Dempsey, made to spin it wide, but then cut back inside and used his bulk to break through to go in under the posts. Steve Clark comfortably slotted the conversion to give the home side an early 7 point advantage.
As the half progressed, the work that coach, Mark Rawlinson, has put in all season began to really show. Some of us may have wondered what some of the training drills and games were all about, but with many of the routines now becoming second nature to more and more of the team, things are coming together superbly! The effort of all players in supporting the ball carrier directly led to Bancroft being forced to commit penalty offences to slow down the home side's ball. This in turn allowed Clark to show that he had found his kicking boots this week, and he punished them with three penalties - including a superb 45 yard effort against the breeze!
Wanderers finished the half with a well deserved 16 - 0 lead and whilst our own half time team talk was fairly light-hearted and full of encouragement to simply continue playing the way we were, one couldn't help but notice that the visitors were getting something of a grilling from their coach! One can sympathise with them, as we have been guilty ourselves of turning up to friendly games without the same mindset that has brought us such success in the President's Shield and league this year!
The second half opened up with a couple of changes to personnel for the home side and it was possibly due to a bit of a lack of communication that Bancroft were gifted a try early on as a backline move was intercepted. Bancroft's own match report - available here and well worth a read - referred to their "interception specialist" and he made no mistake with a coast in under the posts for an easy conversion!
However, if the visitors had any thoughts that they might have a chance to come back into the game, they were immediately banished by another brilliant piece of work Young. Charging down an attempted clearance kick immediately following the kick off, our "Tarzan like No.8" (Bancroft's description) controlled the ball with some neat footwork and beat everyone to touch down in the corner. Clark was unable to convert from out wide, but the lead was now 21 - 7 and Bancroft had no way back.
With Bancroft giving away penalties when they tried to attack, which enabled the Wanderers to push them back into their own half with clearance kicks, it was just left to the kickers to exchange a penalty apiece to finish the game 24 - 10 to the good. The performance of a number of those who played will surely put a lot of pressure on those who were unavailable due to injury or other commitments, and this can only be good for the future of the club!
Next week sees a local derby with the 1st XV visiting Chelmsford 2nds, and the 2nd XV return to Merit Table action with a trip down to Woodford 5ths. Hopefully we'll be able to field two solid sides again and bring back two more sides of bacon!
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