Match Report 2011-2012/21

OLD LAURENTIANS 3’s – 10th MARCH 2012

Earlier in the Season (1st game, on 10th September 2011 – Match Report 2011-2012-1) we went over to Old Laurentians with a decent squad and came home victors, in a hard fought battle with our old rivals, winning 21 to 3. This time around we also gathered a good, strong, squad of 20….

As Tour approaches and the weather brightens the woodwork delivers. As the teams gathered down at the Cowpatch, the Ref. arrived, wearing an admirable shirt (Help for Heroes), but adorned in pretty pink and white flowers, resulting in much extracting of the Michael… Well Done Sir.

As the whistle blew it quickly became obvious that Old Laurentians were not going to be easy and we had a good hard battle on our hands.  We were just about equal at the scrummage, although my opposite number was a lot younger and lighter than I, he worked hard and used his youth to get better as the game went on… he still went backwards though.  With Alfie Grimshaw, Graham Ballinger and Steve McCloskey (last 20mins at Hooker) in the Front Row, HoHo (1st half), Scott Ryan and Bruce Doe (2nd half) in the Second Row and Rick Homer (1st half), Guy Hook, Gary Coulter and HoHo (2nd half) in the Back Row we battled hard up front, with HoHo, Scott and Bruce rallying the troops and leading from the front.

Able to supply decent ball to the backline (Richard Hall, Gary Stephens (returning from injury – welcome back), Mark Bennett, Mark Timson, Ed Newey, Konrad Barnes, Yann Lawrence, Andy Povey (2nd half), Jacek Bukowski and a late arriving, and much appreciated, Mark Nicolas (2nd Half), they were able to work their Magic, knitting, pearling, missing one (or two), switching a couple and generally gamboling to and froe across the pitch, crocheting pretty patterns in the sand.  Benno, again controlled the backline, his chicks following his lead, until he unfortunately went off injured, with a thrown shoe or something.  Come back soon.

At the end of the 1st half we looked like we would be in for another win, albeit a close-run, but some errors in the 2nd half and I must admit, some odd decisions by our flowery friend, resulted in a draw, 19all.  A great game, enjoyed by all, we played our hearts out, as a team.

Our scorers were Mark Timson (1try), Jacek Bukowski (1try), Mark Nicolas (1try) and Mark Bennett (2conversions).

Worthy of note:  Alfie Grimshaw, wandering back with me, from the last Ruck or Mawl or something (or the one before that possibly), discussing the weather and the treats in jars, festering and waiting for Tour rewards.  The ball comes out of the sun, their cleared ball hoofed back to them, finds Alfie, mid-sentence (how rude).  Taken completely by surprise, he catches it (yes I know, that did surprise me as well), but then realizes his mistake (not being Offside, but catching it), with the look of surprise instantly changing to horror, whereupon he pushes the thing, reflex, to the nearest player… any player.  By this time the Ref., struggling to get the whistle inserted between his giggling lips, raspberries us to a halt.

A special thanks to Jack Phillips, who agreed to play for Old Laurentians, when they went down to 14, through injury, in the 1st half.

Next week we had a free weekend, but the snowed- or Iced-off fixture vs Old Coventrian’s, away, has been re-arranged. Meet at 1.30 to 2.00 for a 2.15 depart and 3.00pm KO. 

Simon Bladon