Men’s 1st XV v Lordswood 24/01/2009

Away – London 3 South East

Report by Andy Ward

Won 23-19

Hove travelled up to Lordswood with both teams having victories the week before Lordswood away at Lewes and Hove at home to Eastbourne. Lordswood needed victory to get away from the bottom of the table and Hove to cement their place in the top half and to push for promotion.

The game started brightly enough at 14:17 but with Lordswood seeming to be a little error prone. The kick off taken by Lordswood failed to go the required ten metres and so referee Mitchell ordered a scrum back with a Hove put in. Hove won the scrum easily and whisked the ball down the line to Barry Young who raced for the line then fed the ball back in to scrum half James Finlason who executed a little kick and chase for the ball to be touched down by the Lordswood full back. The resultant 22 drop saw Hove receive the put in at the line out but the ball wasn’t clean and Lordswood had a scrum.

Hands in by Lordswood caused referee Mitchell to award a penalty and Sam banged the ball over for the first blood of the match and Hove were three points to the good. Within three minutes Hove were to increase their lead but perhaps in controversial circumstances. The ball was worked out by Hove and with most of Lordswood being offside, the ball was chipped over by Hove and the Lordswood full back made a hash of his catch and had to go to ground in the corner. As three Hove players were foraging for the ball with the Lordswood full back holding onto it as though his very life depended upon it and the rest of the offside players not yet within assistance distance, referee Mitchell had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try. This seemed to upset the Lordswood team and they crowded the referee – but to no avail and Sam took the conversion to score his second of the game. For some reason (not certain why but possibly because he hadn’t been ready) referee Mitchell requested the kick to be retaken, which Sam did and scored again.

Lordswood then kicked off and achieved 10 metres which must have surprised Hove and they infringed awarding Lordswood a penalty which they elected to kick. Sadly for them, the effort was short and the score remained 10-0 in Hove’s favour.

From the restart, Hove worked the ball down the line and then back across gaining valuable yards as they did and then finally to flying wing Barry Young who went over in the 23rd minute to take the score to 15-0 for Hove. Again, Lordswood did not get the kick off 10 metres and again Hove won the scrum and again Lordswood infringed and again Hove were awarded a penalty and again Sam went for goal and again Hove were awarded three points. Deja vue or what. I said Deja vue or what.

At 18 points to nil to the good, Hove became guilty of sleeping and when the Lordswood 15 got the ball just outside his 22 he went on a speculative run and started cutting through the ranks of players with me thinking and those on the touchline screaming “SOMEBODY tackle him”. Unfortunately neither the aural nor telepathic entreaties reached any of the players and the 15 glided in for a try which was converted.

Four minutes later, Hove in the form of Adam Phillips almost reprised the action but didn’t get the conversion but Adam’s run was equally as good and as Teflon coated as the Lordswood try. Just before half time the Lordswood 12 received a yellow card for repeated infringing.

So, half time at 23-7 to Hove and a 5 minute respite. If the first half was Hove’s, then the second half would prove to be Lordswood’s. Sadly, very sadly, it did not prove to be Rugby’s.Lordswood came out for the second half fired up. There were numerous incidents both on the ball and off the ball and the referee had to issue two more yellow cards and numerous talkings to and penalties. I refuse to describe all the infringements apart from one -see later and will just stick with the rugby – of which there was precious little.

Lordswood had a try disallowed in the fifth minute and maybe this was causal in their attitude from that point of the game. To me, it looked a fair try and I would have given it. However, the referee was unsighted – possibly badly positioned and didn’t see it so he didn’t give it. Lordswood scored a try in the 20th minute, and a converted try in the 41st minute to take the score to 19-23 where it remained until the referee blew his whistle.In the 65th minute a scene occurred which will tarnish Lordswood’s name and reputation, when in reality it is just one man who should be hanging his head in shame or possibly facing a magistrate’s court. The ball is in Lordswood’s court. They know what went on and I have written to them explaining the Hove position. If they deal with it then we will move on. If they don’t then we will consider our position.

The player in question who I will not identify either by name, position, shirt number or description had lost all vestiges of self control and would have been immediately removed from the field of play had he been wearing a Hove shirt. Unfortunately his actions were unsighted by referee Mitchell as they would have certainly resulted in a straight red card. A sad end to what had been a reasonable game and perhaps to friendly relationships between two Clubs who have always got on well before now. After showing himself up in such an outrageous fashion which, had it happened in the street would have resulted in incarceration by the constabulary, he followed this up by hurling abuse and venom at the Hove supporters. Disgraceful.

With Warlingham going down against Eastbourne, this elevates Hove to fourth in the table and leaves Lordswood rooted to the foot of the table. We have Sevenoaks at home next week and will be looking for another win but need to be aware of the potential banana skin as we threw a point away when we visited them.