Men’s 1st XV v KCS Old Boys 05/12/2009

Away – London 2 South East

Report by Andy Ward

Won 23-7

After a few days uncertainty as to whether the fixture needed to be switched to Hove because of the heavy rains, we set off on Saturday for the first ever fixture between the two Clubs and in time honoured tradition, Club Shields were exchanged by our respective Presidents.

Despite some abatement in the rain, it made for pretty heavy going underfoot and the game was never going to be a free flowing running classic. The second half match stats should tell that particular story – only 2 penalties scored in the whole half. And I think one of those was after an IPD – if you weren’t there, you’ll have to ask someone who was to explain it to you…

Anyways, the game kicked off spot on 2:15 and Hove received the kick and managed to clear the ranks and the ball went out for a line more or less on halfway. The ball was thrown in and a melee ensued followed swiftly by the referee’s whistle and a yellow card for the KCS 3 for reasons unbeknown to me.

Despite some good beginnings by both teams, nothing came of anything much and the KCS 3 was back on before any score was to come. This came from a line to the east of the pitch with the ball collected cleanly by Hove and then passed down the line and all the way across the pitch for Ryan to collect and to go over for the first blood. The conversion was not made.

Ten minutes later, Tom Le Mehaute made the next breakthrough after a good break by Ryan and Hove were 10-0 to the good. Ben slotted the kick over and things were looking reasonable after 25 minutes after a fairly slow start.

The game was spoiled – certainly as a spectator sport – by the succession of penalties and infringements (real or imagined) and in the 29th minute KCS had a kickable chance which they squandered.

After a ruck near the end of the first half, hooker Rory Chesham had to come off after a knee injury and fellow Kiwi “Mouse” took to the field. Four minutes later, KCS got their only score of the game when their 15 ran an overlap through leaving the Hove defence flat footed. The conversion added the extra 2 points to take the score going into half time to 17-7 to Hove.

As intimated earlier, the second half was a bit of a dour affair for the observer, but all credit to Hove’s defence which thwarted several KCS attacks and KCS were camped in the Hove 22 for long periods – but no product to show.

Hove’s attempts to break out were spoiled by over ambitious running, speculative kicking and the IPDs! And so, possibly the architects of some of their own defensive pressure, Hove continued to stall the KCS advances and even though KCS did break through and touch down the attempt was disallowed for an obvious knock on.

Prop Paul Hasib was taken off and Stoffle came on for his first run in the first XV and the scrum stayed good. Ben came on for James and Hove were searching for scoring opportunities. To be fair, the IPD-ometer swung our way and Ben converted followed by a short scare at the wrong end of the pitch before a further penalty by Ben sealed the victory.

With Sevenoaks edging Warlingham and Lewes also winning our next three games see us playing the teams immediately below us and nothing less than three victories will be sufficient.

So, Lewes at home next week – and Christmas Lunch book NOW or forget about it – Sevenoaks away on the 17th (when you will have a new correspondent as I am away watching Wasps, Falcons, Cardiff and Munster in la belle France for four consecutive days!) a break for the holidays and then Warlingham at home on the 9th January.

Busy times.

Good performance by Glenn – despite the ever present offside antics of KCS 9 – but man of the match has to be Ben Coulson this week. Steady kicking and running and leadership.