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Writtle Wanderers RUFC |
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Writtle Wanderers RUFC |
October 2005 Match Reports
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Writtle claimed their first 2 points of the League season on Saturday in a tough match against Clacton. In their last three meetings, Writtle have come out victorious, but on each occasion the match went to the wire. This encounter proved to be no different!
The men from the seaside started the stronger and caught the Wanderers on the back foot during the early encounters. Clacton's game plan was clear from the start and they threw the ball wide at every opportunity. This proved to be effective as with barely 5 minutes on clock the Clacton wing broke into clear ground down the left to touch down for the first try. The conversion was missed.
If this early score was not enough to awaken the Wanderers from their apparent slumber then a second try shortly after did. This time strong work from the Clacton forwards in the Writtle 22 led to a try in the right hand corner. Again the conversion was missed but Writtle knew they had to respond before the free running Clacton side took the game away from them. The following minutes saw the Wanderers take the game back to their opposition and some prolonged pressure forced Clacton into conceding a penalty 25 metres out. Full back, Steve Clark, found the middle of the posts to get the Wanderers off the mark.
This simply spurred the Clacton men on and yet another score
came. Again some good work in open play saw the Clacton backs score again.
At 15 – 3 the Wanderers knew that they had to respond quickly and that they did.
A break down the left from Centre, Paul Read, put Clark into space down
the left. Excellent support from Albert Hess saw the Writtle men deep in the
Clacton 22. The ball was won back but the attempted clearance was charged down
by Man of the Match, scrum half Hamish Light, who managed to scramble to the
ball for the try. The conversion was missed to leave the score at 15 – 8.
As before the Clacton side came back at the Wanderers and yet
again they managed a score. Again in open play the ball moved quickly between
the backs in an almost basketball-like passage of plan. The try was scored and
this time converted. 22 - 8. To stay in contention then the Wanderers knew
that another score was vital before half time. A couple shots at the posts from
Clark failed to bring them closer but with a couple of minutes to go in the
first half, fly half Dick Battye, impressive in his first game of the season,
broke though a couple of tackles to put Hess in the clear to score the try.
Clark converted.
With the scores at 22 – 15 going into the second half there was all to play for.
The Wanderers seemed to raise their game. Light continued to threaten with some
darting runs around the rucks. A stable platform from the Wanderers forwards,
led well by Dominic Pearce, was beginning to allow the backs to create more
going forward. As a result of the increased pressure the Clacton side continue
to be penalised. Clark began to make them pay for their ill-discipline and
kicked two more penalties to bring the sides within a single point.
Good work down the right saw flanker, John Smillie, pick up the ball. Still with
much to do he smashed through the Clacton defence to score an impressive try.
26-22.
The clock began to tick down & the game became more frantic. With both sides still believing that they could take the points the next score was vital. Again the Clacton side were penalised for some over enthusiasm in the ruck. With the offence on the half way line they would not have been overly concerned and a few eye-browns were raised when Clark opted for a kick at the posts. With the pressure on, Clark stepped up and made good contact with the ball. It sailed high through the air & straight through the uprights for a precious 3 points.
This score seemed to be the real turning point as the visiting sides head dropped and the hosts fuelled with renewed confidence continued to attack. The pressure continued to mount from the Wanderers and the ball was moved wide where Andy Ross marked his solid debut with a try in the corner. Just to add salt to the wounds, Clark kicked the extra 2 to take the final score to 36 – 22.
The Wanderers should take much heart from this performance and although some way off of their performances of last season, they are beginning to show signs that they will be able to compete well in Essex 2. This Saturday sees another tough test against Millwall. Kick off is 3pm at the Writtle College Sports Ground.
Although no report has been submitted for this game, I am told that there were lots of plus points to take out of this game. A number of players who are new to the club this season are starting to settle in nicely and showing considerable potential - especially fly half and Man of the Match, Jon Nicolle. The Wanderers scored first and, but for a couple of refereeing decisions that went against them, the 2nd XV could have been celebrating their first victory of the season!
With more new players on the way and current players getting to know one another a little better, things can only continue to improve! The potential is definitely there - it just needs to be unleashed on some unlucky opponent!
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Although Writtle Wanderers won their last three games against Millwall back in the 2003-4 season, the club from the Isle of Dogs has seen a lot of growth in the last couple of years and we knew that this would be another tough game for the Essex 2 newcomers. It certainly lived up to its billing and was a very entertaining game for players and spectators alike.
In the absence of any of the club’s recognised fly halves, Coach Mark Rawlinson took up the pivotal position, and the delayed arrival of veteran tight head, Dominic Pearce, forced Martyn Howarth to step into the unfamiliar role of cornerstone of the scrum. Having started the last couple of league games rather slowly, with the opposition getting early scores, the men in orange were determined to take the game to Millwall from the off.
A fumble at the kick off handed an early advantage to Millwall, but solid defence around the ruck prevented any lasting damage. As the Writtle forwards began to take the attack back to the visitors, the game moved into the Millwall twenty-two and after a series of rucks short of the try-line, second row, Matt Morris, managed to force his way over the line for the opening try. Full back, Steve Clark, was unable to convert.
Buoyed by the feel good factor of having got the first score of the game, the Wanderers gathered the restart and worked their way back up field. Good work by the pack, both in the set piece and the loose, forced Millwall back to their line once again. Their brave defence held out for a few minutes, but eventually Morris got hold of the ball and broke through for his second try, this time converted by Clark to give the Wanderers a 12 – 0 lead.
From the restart, Writtle’s Zimbabwean No.8, Albert Hess, gathered the ball and looked to run the ball back at the opposition. In the follow up tackle, he unfortunately fell awkwardly and sustained what appeared to be a nasty knee ligament injury. We await the result of tests at hospital to see how bad the injury is and hope that he will be on the mend very soon.
The resulting reshuffle seemed to upset the balance of the side and Millwall were able to come back into the game. Initially they gained a penalty in front of the posts which they kicked with ease, then a few minutes later they forced their way through the orange defenders for their first try. The conversion brought things back to 12 – 10 and Millwall seemed to be taking control of the game, especially as they would have the advantage of the strong breeze in the second half.
However, just as things looked to be turning against the home side, they managed to find their form again and mount a series of attacks combining forwards and backs. With Rawlinson putting runners through gaps with deft passing, or breaking the gain line himself when necessary, it was only a matter of time before the Millwall lines were threatened again. This time it was captain, Tim Janes, who found the gap to go under the posts and give Clark an easy conversion to give the Wanderers a 19 – 10 advantage as half time approached.
The second half saw Writtle come out knowing that they would have to defend exceptionally well to keep the East Enders at bay. This aim suffered a blow with Pearce being sin-binned for failing to bind properly at the scrum – a decision that certainly puzzled the man with over 20 years experience in the position. With their scrummaging power drastically reduced, the Wanderers found themselves shoved backwards in the next few scrums and knew that they would have to play out of their skins for the next ten minutes if the game was not to swing too far Millwall’s way. Sure enough, Millwall’s advantage in the tight resulted in the Writtle defence being stretched and the visitors were able to fight their way over for another score, again converted to bring things to 19 – 17.
As Millwall threatened the Writtle lines once again, indiscretion at a ruck gave the home side the chance to clear their lines and they were able to work their way back into the Millwall half. With the return of Pearce, they were able to put the pressure back on the visitor’s lines. This pressure paid huge dividends when a clearance kick was charged down and centre Paul Read was able to flop on the ball for a vital score. Clark converted to give the side a bit of breathing space at 26 – 17.
Millwall were certainly not prepared to throw in the towel after this score and came back into the game strongly as hands in the ruck by the Wanderers gave them a chance to push the game deep into the home half. They eventually managed to work a very good try down the Writtle left flank and an accurate conversion brought them back to within two points at 26 – 24.
However, the Wanderers were not prepared to relinquish their grasp on this game and fought their way back into the Millwall half as the clock ticked down. A quick ball off the top of a lineout saw Rawlinson break through and put Howarth clear down the left wing. He made good yards and fed to Wayne Simmons. Excellent handling by Simmons, Jack Redfern and Howarth again eventually saw the ball fall to Rawlinson, who topped off his Man of the Match performance with a try in the corner.
The conversion was missed, which led to a nervous last couple of minutes as a Millwall converted try could draw the game. But the Writtle Wanderers held on to claim their second league victory in a row and move into third place in Essex 2.
No report has been submitted, but the result shows that this was a vastly improved performance from a side that is now beginning to establish some consistency in terms of the players available. This is enabling the team to play to a game plan that more and more players are now familiar with. As this develops, there is little doubt that those involved will enjoy more success and there is the potential to have a very good season!
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A very lacklustre and disjointed performance by the Writtle Wanderers saw them very nearly fall at the first hurdle in this year's President's Shield! But for the Ongar kicker putting a couple of fairly straightforward kicks wide of the posts, last year's losing finalists would have been out of the competition before the first round proper!
In the previous three meetings between these two teams, Writtle have scored 178 points to Ongar's 5! With that sort of record, it is very difficult to avoid some degree of complacency, regardless of the words spoken in the changing room prior to the game. When Paul Read crashed over for the first try in the opening minutes of the match, it looked like a big win was on the cards again, but at that point the Wanderers seemed to lose their concentration and with it their game plan.
Strong running from the likes of John Smillie and Matt Morris and some excellent sniping by Man of the Match, Hamish Light, made holes in the Ongar defence, but there was a lack of support when they were eventually brought to ground and Ongar were able to steal the ball or win the penalty. As a result, Ongar were able to run the ball back at a defensive line that seemed to be lacking it's usual solidity and eventually broke through for a try under the posts. Fortunately, as it turned out, the conversion was missed and the scores remained level until Ongar were awarded a penalty deep in the Writtle half and took the three points to take them into the lead.
Turning round 5 - 8 down, and after receiving a talking to from coach, Mark Rawlinson, the home side knew that if they could get the first score of the second half, their nerves might be settled and the game would swing their way. However, although they started with a little more determination and took the game to Ongar, silly mistakes and penalties saw the visitors work their way back into the Writtle half. A spilt ball in midfield handed the advantage to Ongar, who seized on the opportunity to cross the Wanderers try line for the second time - to huge cheers from the large number of travelling supporters. Once again, the conversion attempt was knocked wide, but Writtle were really up against it facing an 8 point deficit.
A penalty awarded to Writtle in the Ongar half gave captain, Tim Janes, the tricky decision of whether to go for the corner and look for 5 points, or to take the kick at goal. With Dick Battye feeling confident, the kicking option was taken and Battye duly slotted the ball between the posts to bring Writtle back to within one score.
With the clock starting to tick down, the home side managed to start linking some moves together and put some pressure on the Ongar defence. Eventually it fell to Dick Battye to break the last line and cross for a try to bring the scores level - and he followed this up with a vital conversion to take Writtle into a narrow two point lead.
The final few minutes of the game were tense, as Ongar worked their way in the Writtle half again. A penalty was all they needed to take them back into the lead, but the Wanderers discipline held and when the ball was cleared to touch, the referee blew his whistle for full time. The relief amongst the home side was clear to see - they knew that they'd been pushed very close by a team who really shouldn't have caused them any trouble! But a win is a win and the Wanderers must now pick up their intensity for a tough league fixture next week away to Old Brentwoods.
A fantastic turnout this week for the 2nd XV, who had around 11 replacements on the bench! Unfortunately, many of these were unable to get a game as the opposition were not keen on us having so many fresh sets of legs on the field for the 2nd half! As long as those who did not get a run out don't get disheartened, then once players who are unavailable due to injury or other reasons return, my prophecy of putting out a 3rd XV this season may not be that far from being realised!
John Nicolle, at fly half, put in another impressive performance and is sure to be pushing for a 1st XV place in the very near future. Man of the Match, Martin Fetherstone, used his size to make some big holes in the Pegasus defence and Writtle College captain, Steve Bristow, bagged a pair of tries as a deserved reward for his efforts...
2nd XV Manager, Ady Cook, and captain, Gary Hall, both feel that things are coming together very well and the 2nd XV is beginning to gel together nicely. With more players attending training and learning the patterns that we wish to play to, there must be a strong chance of working our way up the BL Merit Tables...
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22nd October 2005
Writtle Wanderers returned to Essex 2 league action this week, determined to put on a better performance than last week’s lucky escape against Ongar in the President’s Shield.
From the off, it was clear that the Writtle pack had the advantage in the tight, particularly in the scrum where they were able to exert a huge amount of pressure on the Old Brentwoods’ eight. Indeed, it was from a scrum on the home line that veteran No 8, Jack Redfern, was able to touch down for the visitors’ first score, converted by Steve Clark, to give an early seven point lead.
A couple of times this season the Wanderers have got the first score and then relaxed, allowing the opposition to come back at them. This week it was a slightly different story, as the side tried too hard to prevent their hosts building any momentum and gave away a series of penalties around the tackle, giving Old Brentwood a chance to knock over a couple of penalties to reduce the deficit to a single point. Although many of the penalties seemed rather harsh, as the zealous referee allowed no leeway in the ruck, we must learn to adapt our game to the way that it is being officiated.
Following the half time oranges,
the Writtle side started to put together some good moves, with forwards and
backs linking well. Colm Coyle, moved into his favoured inside centre position,
made good yards in midfield and the usual suspects of Matt Morris, Wayne Simmons
and John Smillie punched some big holes in the OB’s defence.
The Old Brentwoods backs were lively and looked to go around the Wanderers
defence on a number of occasions. Full back Clark put in several fine try saving
tackles, including one memorable exocet-like hit on the OB’s winger that I am
sure echoed off the surrounding woodland.
Fortunately, the hands of the home backline were not always that secure and it was from a fumbled ball that wing, Mike Brown, was able to hack the ball downfield behind the defence. Although Brown was clearly pulled back as he chased his kick, Captain Tim Janes was able to gather the ball and get over the line for the Wanderers second try. Clark was unable to convert, but the Wanderers were on top and looking good.
The third try, scored by openside flanker Andy Ross, must be a candidate for try of the season. Taking the ball on halfway, Ross carved his way out to right touchline past the defence, broke the tackle of the last man and ran in to just wide of the posts to give Clark an easier conversion.
Unfortunately, at this point discipline began to let Writtle down and saw the referee, rather than Old Brentwoods, push them back deep into their own half. Two sin bins within a minute – one a particularly harsh one as the Old Brentwoods’ man had clearly been turned in the tackle and lost the ball on the Wanderers side - saw the visitors reduced to 13 men. A further series of penalties close to the line led to a penalty try being awarded, which was converted to bring Old Brentwoods back within six points and keep the game on tenterhooks as the clock ticked down.
The Wanderers defence held firm and kept Old Brentwoods deep in their own half for the remainder of the game to secure their third straight win in Essex 2 and take them clear into 3rd place. This week sees a big test as top club, Dagenham, visit Fox Burrows Lane. However, Writtle memorably beat Dagenham last season in the President’s Shield quarter final, so they will be confident that a good performance could see them go to the top of the table.
A rampant 2nd XV came up against old friends Rayleigh on
Saturday. Much has changed in a season with the 1st XVs exchanging leagues and
the Writtle Wanderers 2nd XV going from strength to strength after a tough start
to the season.
Having lent three players to the opposition, most notably returning open side,
Colin Jones, the visitors set about dismantling the home defence. An early try
from Captain Gary Hall, on the wing for this encounter, kicked off proceedings
within 2 minutes.
The display was marked by some excellent handling by both forwards and backs,
some rampant work up front from new find, Martin Fetherstone, and a magnificent
virtuoso performance from the Zimbabwean teenager Ewan Black at Fly half with a
total of 53 points.
A strong scrummage, led from the tight side by the giant Cornishman, Underhill,
gave the back row the confidence and space to make ground from the set piece.
Excellent support from the second wave led to virtually every piece of
possession yielding points. Of most significant and remarkable note was veteran
8, Scott Taylor, sneaking onto the score sheet with a tough conversion,
toe-poked over from all of 10 yards out.
A sad injury to the other Zim half back, Gus Light, took some of the sheen off
the win but there is much to look forward to as this team develops into
something quite special under the leadership of the enigmatic Hall and the
absentee Jon Horne.
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Addendum by Matt Wilkins - 24th October 2005
The turning point in what was a pleasing result in difficult circumstances hinged on lock, Matt Wilkins, securing a try under the posts despite defensive pressure from more than one Rayleigh loose forward. This moment of brilliance made the rest of the game in the words of one spectator seem 'ordinary'.
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Comment sent anonymously via e-mail from Whirledge & Nott
I note that lock Matt Wilkins has failed to mention the shocking attempt at a conversion of his "brilliant" try on Saturday. This spectator suggests some coaching from the kicking no. 8 is in order.
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Sorry - no report submitted!
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