Men’s 1st XV v Aylesford Bulls 04/10/2008

Away – London 3 South East

Report by Andy Ward

Lost 18-23

I think I had better start by just reporting the facts of the match rather than passing comment – I’ll leave that for later.

13:30 saw Burnage arrive in his new nancy boy car to pick up your intrepid reporter and for us to wend our way via the South East’s motorway system to the outskirts of Maidstone and arrive at the Jim Walker Memorial Ground with sufficient time to down a pint and sample the food. Neither were particularly good and this as it transpires was a portent for the following 97 minutes in what turned out to be a fairly elongated match as a result of several injuries to both sides. My match reports allows options for the mood of the game of “Friendly”, “Niggly”, “Aggressive” and “All out war” – but to be honest, despite the body count this was a match played in decent spirit – a couple of handbag punches thrown – but nothing serious and so we must put the injuries down to either lack of fitness at an appropriate time or misfortune.

But whilst touching briefly on the subject of handbags – remember chaps, that the referee will blow for such offences, he may not send you off but he will certainly give a penalty and given that their 15 did not miss a kick all frigging day – is that really that sensible when we are chasing the game and looking for scores to give those type of opportunities to the opposition? In case you’re wondering – cast your mind back to the 70th minute.

Well, the game started bang on 15:00 hours with Aylesford starting proceedings with a gusty wind behind them – a wind that was possibly a deciding factor in the match. To call Aylesford a one trick pony would be uncharitable but for much of the match their tactic seemed to be win the ball and give it to the number 12 to bash through the defence. And so it was in the 5th minute when the ball was passed to the centre who crashed into the defensive line, pulled in the men and popped the ball up to the number 14 advancing at pace (that’s a trick to learn chaps!) who then with the defence still cuddling the 12 had an easy 5 metre run in for the first score of the afternoon. Up pops the 15 to slot the ball over in a measured fashion and the Bulls were 7 up without having really broken sweat.

The Hove riposte to this reverse was swift – but unequal. A line out was won on the Clubhouse side of the pitch in the Bulls 10 metre and the ball was won cleanly by Hove. Gripping the ball into chest, a maul formed and advanced well causing the Bulls all sorts of problems. Hove continued this and for the only time in the game that I can remember the ball came out quickly from a set play and went to Dipo on the wing to score right in the corner. So, 7-5 to the Bulls but the kick evaded young Whiting although he did have a reasonable shot at it. Sadly, a miss is as good as a mile and you cannot afford to drop points like this in games such as these.

The wind was being used to good effect by Aylesford as they were dropping balls into the Hove 22 which needed to be dealt with. Many a return kick was stalled by the wind and swirled back into play a mere few yards up the pitch putting the defence under pressure time and again. Hove stood firm and made a break and were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute for Bulls diving over and Sam stepped up to claim the three points for Hove to lead 8-7 for the only time in the game. This lead lasted just 6 minutes when Aylesford were awarded a penalty for handling on the ground by one member of the Hove front row. Up stepped the unerring boot of the Aylesford 15 and in a depressing certainty you just knew it would fly straight over. It did. 10-8 to the Bulls and 26 minutes on the clock. A mere three minutes later and Hove contrived to make a further stupid mistake with exactly the same result. Hands in. Penalty to Blues was the shout from referee Maple and sure enough, up trots their 15 to make short work of earning the three points for the Bulls to leave Hove trailing 13-8 and the spectators wondering.

In the 32nd minute Scott Patto came off worse in a situation and had to leave the field for a blood injury for the rest of the half, which saw Adam Phillips take to the field for the remainder of the first period. Could there be a moment of magic before the first half expired? Well, there was plenty of effort but a score evaded the Hove team. Unfortunately, it did not evade the Aylesford team. The ball was kicked down again and the players were over it like a rash with a maul forming. Hove were doing their best to pull it down but the Aylesford nine broke off from the back and went under the posts for a try. Now would the Aylesford 15 manage to get the two points from right in front of the posts? Anyone want to bet? Of course he did and the score rose to 20 points to 8 in favour of the home team just in time for referee Maple to blow his whistle at 15:44 to signal the end of the half.

Would the change of direction and thus the assistance of the wind make for better opportunities? We would see and as the referee consulted his watch, he invited Hove to restart the game at 15:50 for the second half. Some slight changes were made in that Scott returned from his blood injury and as part of that reversal, Adam went back to the bench.

Straight from the kick off Hove attacked and were camped in the Aylesford 5 metre area mauling away and looking like a try was certain. Somehow, we contrived to mishandle and the danger was cleared by Aylesford. Hove continued to attack and press for a score to bring them back into the game. In the 45th minute, Aylesford transgressed and Hove were awarded a penalty in line with the posts and perhaps some 25 metres out. Skipper Rankin called for the goal attempt and young Sam lined up, kicked and agonisingly the ball went wide. Hove attacked again and again a maul formed in the Aylesford 5 metre. Surely a try would come from this! The ball was pulled out of the maul by scrum half Matt Sole who, despite there being a stream of players to his left elected to go through the bodies and under the posts. Wrapped up by Aylesford’s defence Matt went to ground but the ball was left high in the air being held by Aylesford. Held up said referee Maple and you could see the Hove heads drop. Time for a change thought those charged with selection and Harvey Strudwick came on for Ben Sole, followed three minutes later by Adam Phillips for Gerwyn Wilson. In the 53rd minute after a missed line out, the ball bobbled on the ground in the Aylesford 10. Lock Jamie Waller was the first to react and raced for the ball scooping it up and charging for the line. With several Ayelsford players wrong footed and out of position, this looked like an opportunity from nothing. Jamie was tackled but off loaded the ball and the attack continued. Aylesford had managed to regroup now and bodies came flying in. The ball went to ground from the maul situation and now being a ruck – even the most immature students of the laws know that hands are not allowed. For the third time in the game, a Hove front row hand left the ref with no choice but to award a penalty to Aylesford and yet another opportunity was wasted on the transgressions of the few.

Two minutes later, wing Dipo Osho received the ball on the Hove right from a wind affected kick from the Aylesford defenders and raced for the line kicking ahead. Alas, the ball gets caught by the wind and goes over the dead ball line as Dipo chases. Not only was the move wasted but Dipo was grounded with an injury. Fortunately, this was a blood injury…With all subs used, Gerwyn had to come back on with the permission of the referee whilst Dipo received treatment at the hands of Amy – I could think of worst things on a rainy Saturday afternoon – but I digress and am lowering myself to sexual innuendo and that will never do!

Within two minutes of Dipo’s debilitation, Jack Maybank – who had tackled well all day long and deserves a mention in dispatches – was on the receiving end of a clattering tackle and went down like a stone. His ankle was injured and there was no continuing. So, in the space of two minutes, Hove had lost both wingers. Now, some might say that being as the ball was never passed to them in set play that we should be able to manage. I can see the logic, but you do need the correct number on the field to have a chance. The only sub left was Adam Tunesi and so he had to be brought on. Looking more spritely than of late – Adam performed pretty well and it was encouraging.

The game progressed and Hove were always seeking a score and it was always evading them. In the 70th minute after trying to win the ball, Hove were penalised and up popped number 15 again to punish them. 23 points to 8 said the scoreboard and Hove hearts were sensing that it wasn’t to be their day. But, you will recall from last week’s report my allusion to fat ladies and singing – and so it was to be again. This time in the form of Harvey who broke from the pack and hammered down the pitch to go under the posts in the final minute for an excellent try. Up pops Adam to drop kick the ball over for the extra two and all of Hove raced up the field to restart and see if a further score was possible. The ball was caught by Hove from the KO and the attack raced into the Aylseford half only for Aylesford to transgress and young Sam stepped up to kick the three points. The same urgency to restart was again present but the time was up and referee Maple blew to signal the end of the game at 16:37.

And so, Hove lost the game. A game that was there for the taking. Aylesford were not strong and could easily have been wiped out by a concerted opposition. Their 56-0 defeat last week should have been testament to that. But Hove contrived to lose the game and selection has to be top of the list for review. There were several who performed below par and this has to be addressed. I won’t name anyone here because that would be unfair. I will mention names in that I thought Harvey had a great game when he came on and got my man of the match. Jack also played well and tackled anything that got close to him with a fearless intensity. Those two aside, I thought Dave Wattam worked his balls off to get things moving and was always in the thick of things.

In a week where results could have been said to have gone for us – how much better they would have been had we secured the two points that were most definitely available. We have now dropped one place to fifth, but could have slid further and we have Old Dunstonians at home next week. OD’s lost 14-15 at home to Warlingham – which should start ringing some alarm bells given Warlingham’s recent history of Blitzkrieg and demolition. OD’s may be stuck at the foot of the table accompanying Lewes neither with any points but games have to be won by the hard yards and not by talk. Let’s get back to the hard work and the rewards will come. Let’s not try and win matches on our own and use the team around us. Let’s pick the best people for the match ahead and let’s move up the table like we surely can.