Men’s 1st XV v Sevenoaks 31/01/2009

Home – London 3 South East

Report by Andy Ward

Won 48-12

A far better game to report on than last week’s and so your correspondent is in a far happier frame of mind as he flexes his knuckles and approaches the keyboard like some master of the 88 keys about to begin an interpretation of the Nutcracker Suite.

As ever, a brief excursion to mention pre-match proceedings must occur and the Under 9s had staged a curtain raiser against Old Elthamian prior to the game, but sadly this clashed with lunch and we must see what we can do to ensure that the curtain raiser gets a decent audience. It brought back a few memories in the few moments that I got to watch the game of my own time trying to coach Minis not to all chase the ball at once. Where ever the ball went, there were 18 players within 3 metres of it, but hey, they all enjoyed themselves and they will develop and there may well be some budding stars.

Lunch was served – sponsored by the redoubtable Adam Tunesi, he of Uncle Sam’s fame – and the assembled throng were served a Beef Bourguignon and Treacle Pud as a winter warmer prelude to ward off the cold that they would have to endure. Those who travelled in October may recall that Hove dropped a point at Sevenoaks and the score was an unusual draw at 10 apiece after Hove had been leading at 10-0 with not too many minutes left. What would be the outcome today, I was asked. “Hove by one or two scores” replied I. Wrong again.

At 17 minutes past 2 in the afternoon on the 31st January 2009 anno domini, Adam Phillips stepped up to drop kick the ball into Sevenoaks territory and so the game commenced. Early skirmishes ensued as both sides found their rhythm but it was Sevenoaks who were first flicking their fingers to the collective beat and after two minutes their winger on the South side of the pitch raced over for a try in the corner, which proved to be too much for their kicker and a quietened Hove were 5-0 down.

Three minutes later, Man of the Match Sam Whiting stepped up to dispatch a penalty to earn the first three of his 23 points tally with as superb a display of kicking as you could wish to see. This Sam reprised in the 11th minute to edge the home team into the lead at 6 points to five. A lead that Hove were not to lose during the remainder of the match.

No doubt inspired by Sam’s boot, Ryan (not yet a Freddy, still an Eileen) found himself with the ball from a maul with many a Sevenoaks defender twixt him and glory. Leaning like a Jonny Wilkinson look-a-like in the 2003 World Cup Final, Ryan assumes the position drops the ball and strikes it with his boot only to see the post deny him a place in the history books. Much (uncharitable) chortling from the crowd, but Ryan is made of sterner stuff and no doubt we shall see an arrow from his boot one day soon.

A further 60 seconds had passed by before Sevenoaks had infringed again and referee Goddard awarded a third penalty to Hove. With Sam’s 100% strike rate so far, skipper Glenn Rankin had no hesitation in popping the ball to young Sam to have a go from close to the touch line. Bang went the ball over the bar and between the posts – well according to Blakey only as the Sevenoaks TJ did not concur. But, the man that matters did and referee Goddard had no hesitation in awarding a further three points to Sam’s personal and Hove’s collective tally.

After his minor boot malfunction 3 minutes earlier had denied Ryan the “Drop Goal King” headlines, he again found himself with the ball with a whole army of Sevenoaks defenders in front of him and determined not to let him through. Spotting lock Liam Hale over to his left and with a brilliant kick to match the vision, Ryan punted the ball high and left for unmarked Liam to race through, catch the pesky little ovoid and touch it down to a collective “bugger” from the Sevenoaks contingent. Up steps Sam to slide the conversion over for the extra two and Hove were now cooking at 16-5 up with only 17 minutes on the clock.

This almost a point a minute ratio was to continue throughout the first half. However, before Hove were to score again, the Sevenoaks 16 (playing lock I think) finally tested the patience of referee Goddard one time too many and was yellow carded for persistently going over. As a result of that, Sam was invited to flex his left foot once more and a further three points to Hove were the result.

I had thought that the try by Liam was going to be as good a one as we would see all day, with Ryan’s kick over, but in the 24th minute, Sam Butcher received the ball in the Hove half of the pitch and made some ground before flicking the ball out to Scott Patto who made more ground, breaking through one tackle and taking the hit of a second whilst simultaneously flicking the ball out to flying wing Barry Young who made short work of the 30 metre run in and scored near to the posts. What happened next, yes – you guessed, a further two points from Sam’s increasingly accurate boot.

Liam, clearly confusing himself for a back and no doubt still running his earlier try through the private cinema that is the mind, found himself receiving the ball right in front of the posts and just what he did next, only he will know for sure. Possibly a little harshly, I have declared it a drop goal attempt as he did drop the ball, it did hit the ground and he did kick it. All low flying aircraft from nearby Shoreham could relax as Liam’s kick only managed to clear the grass by a millimetre and will save the groundsman getting his strimmer out this week. Liam – leave the kicks to the girls in the backs! You’re a forward and you don’t do kicking. OK, but you’re NOT John Eales!

A further penalty was awarded to Hove after another infringement – I have to say that Sevenoaks were the main architects of their own downfall and were playing suicide rugby at times – and Sam stepped up to slot the ball over for three more gifted points. The Sevenoaks 7 was next for referee Goddard’s pack of cards and he was awarded 10 minutes rest in the 38th minute. Straight after this, scrum half James (Freddy) Finlason went over the line after good work by the pack and Sam duly obliged to augment James’ five points with a further two of his own to take the score to 36-5 to Hove as the first half ended.

After five minutes respite for the players – but not for your correspondent who spent the half time break seeing the Beefeaters take apart Crowborough, the Sevenoaks stand off kicked the ball and the second half was underway.

As a spectacle, the second half was nowhere after the exhilaration of the first. But, credit where it is due, Hove stuck to the task and still won the half 12-7 when similar to last week, the opposition seemed a different outfit in the second half. There ends, by the way, all similarities between this week and last!

After five minutes, Hove scored a well worked try with Dave Wattam coming off the scrum and going over in a classic back row fashion, but Sam misjudged the wind and narrowly missed the conversion with the only blot on his copybook this afternoon.

Hugo Baldwin, now back at Hove, came on the field for Jamie Waller as the Sevenoaks 7 returned to the fray. Some 14 minutes later, Adam Phillips was deemed to have infringed and referee Goddard awarded Sevenoaks a penalty try which they converted to take the score to 41-12.Coaches Henderson and MacTaggart then brought on the remaining substitutes with Paddy (Rugby Player) coming on for Barry Young and Paul Hasib for Sam Butcher. Two minutes later, Ryan – no doubt still rueing the missed drop goal – received the ball and broke through the defenders for a try in the 24th minute and Sam having made adjustments to his laces had no problem in dispatching the ball for a final two points to Hove.48-12 flashed the neon that emblazons the recreation ground and there it was to remain until the end of the game. Ryan was awarded 10 minutes rest by the referee for his services to drop kicking and so that was the end of his involvement.

A good win for Hove and Sevenoaks may be looking over their shoulder a bit, but I believe that they will stay in SE3 – just start doing the simple things and avoid those crazy back hand passes!

The first XV have a week off next week – unless something is arranged and then pick up on league action on the 14th with a trip to Old Dunstonian and then play in the Sussex Cup away to Bognor the day after (Sunday 15th). So, possibly some selection issues.But well done to all, a great game and an excellent result. No doubt Lucy will see that the Man of the Match is duly rewarded…