1st XV match reports |
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| October 29th 2005 |
Powergen London League Division One |
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Bishop’s Stortford 12 London Scottish 32 After last week’s dreadful draw, an altogether better performance brought a deserved victory and the only grounds for carping would be that the margin should have been bigger. Scottish will review the video and rue four or five scoring opportunities that went astray, including two attacking line-outs that were lost – Scottish were too honest, throwing down the middle even after given Mr Clarke had hitherto ignored half a dozen crooked throws from both sides. Scottish were further hindered by the peculiar refereeing of Mr Clarke, who is normally confined to the role of touch judge, albeit at national league level. His approach to the tackle area was guaranteed to penalise the side trying to play rugby, building through the phases being nigh on impossible when players are allowed no opportunity to release on the ground before being penalised. At the same time the first two of the home side’s penalties were harsh on Scottish, when the visitors were penalised for not rolling away at a ruck in their 22 while the home side’s inside centre stood offside and obstructed, and then when David Gaule was penalised for not releasing when he had gone to ground on a loose ball and two defenders dived on top rather than as required let him get to his feet. Coleman slotting the first before going off injured in the 7th minute, and Hughes the second. But importantly, Scottish played a calm and controlled game for 80 minutes, learned to play the referee better as the game wore on, and made sensible decisions, notably when taking two penalty kicks on offer to increase the lead from seven to 13 points and kill the game. It was also encouraging given the absences till December of Rory Greenslade-Jones (broken ankle) and Lee Soper (broken rib). In the 19th minute they were deservedly on the scoreboard, Alex Alesbrook grounding his sixth try of the season. Max Evans – playing at outside centre, his fourth different shirt this season – made the break after Tom Williams had pounced on turnover ball in midfield and hacked ahead. Forced to release as he hit the deck in the tackle, Evans surrendered possession, but no matter – a hasty clearance to touch produced a Scottish lineout and Alesbrook prospered. It was the start of a five minute period of total control, but Williams for once missed the conversion, and soon after, Pinder’s lovely break and scoring pass to Matt Vines was halted because the pass was forward. Williams then missed a straightforward penalty, and instead of being a dozen ahead Scottish remained one behind. Now was the time to play patient rugby and ensure chances were taken. The score duly came just past the half hour when from a scrum 25m out, Karl Hensley’s clever flick to Gaule caught the defence on the hop and the scrum half sent Luke Stack away down a wide blindside alley. Williams’ kick staggered over, and Scottish were from then never behind. Hughes pulled three back with another penalty before half time but Scottish changed ends, felt the breeze at the backs and took the game away. Street came up with the ball after the pack, which dominated throughout, had mauled its way to the line ffrom a lineout fully 25m out, and Williams followed up the conversion with two penalties. One from Hughes was never going to matter. A final score came with ten minutes to go when Vines joined the line and finished a flowing backs move. Scottish are still not scoring the points they should but the substantial travelling support was happy enough with a comfortable win and a decent show. Scorers: Tries: Alesbrook, Stack, Street, Vines Cons: Williams 3 Pens Williams 2 Scoring sequence: 3-0 (4 mins), 6-0 (10), 6-5 (19), 6-12 (32), 9-12 (34), 9-19 (44), 12-19 (46), 12-22 (52), 12-25 (57), 12-32 (70) 15. Matt Vines, 14. Nick Pinder (Fraser Smeaton, 70), 13. Max Evans, 12. Josh Heke, 11. Luke Stack, 10. Tom Williams, 9. David Gaule, 1. Mat Johnston, 2. David Box , 3. Magnus Macdonald, (Jim Kelly h.t. 4. Chad Eagle (Coleman McCarthy 45), 5. Mike Goodbody, 6. Alex Alesbrook, 7. James Street, 8. Karl Hensley © Paul McFarland |
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