1st XV match reports |
|
| December 10th 2005 |
London League Division One |
|
Richmond 27 London Scottish 25 This was a coruscating game, with ebb and flow and plenty of drama, more than worthy of being a potential league decider; for though more than half a season remains, Scottish knew all along defeat would make their task clear and stark: Richmond remain clear at the top with ten wins from ten, while Scottish trail Canterbury in the race for second. Fittingly, a game with two renowned internationals on the field lived up to the billing and to the expectations of a 2,000 plus crowd. Both Kenny Logan for Scottish and Bob Skinstead, the former Springbok captain who anchored the home pack, influenced the game as much by what they said and how they organised those around them, as by what they actually did; it is a tribute to the other 30-odd players on view that neither looked out of place. Not that the rugby was always at its finest; the tension ensured it never could be, but with a plot that included two yellow cards and a wee brawl ended with a red one, a first try for his club for Logan, and a highly controversial one for the home side which - given the Scots' narrow failure to claw back the 14 point deficit - should haunt referee JP Doyle. And all topped off by a comeback from three tries to nil down by Scottish to set up a penalty attempt in added time that would have snatched the game. For a neutral the mach and the atmosphere would have reaffirmed the view that both these clubs will be a credit to higher leagues when and if they get there. Scottish started happily enough, two penalties from Tom Williams seeming to show his confidence with the boot had returned - especially given that the latter was struck from halfway and sailed well clear of the bar. But the lead lasted the shortest time. From the restart after the second penalty, Richmond forced a scrum and with surprising ease tilted the Scots pack, whisked the ball to the right and exploited midfield hesitation; even so Evans and Dowling seemed to have Piggott covered but somehow he squirmed over, Hart converting from wide right. The home pack's early dominance was further demonstrated five minutes later, when from a penalty conceded for not releasing, Richmond opted for the visitors' noted ploy, the lineout and catch and drive. The Scots retreated rapidly as Richmond mauled over the line and Whitfield got the ball down. Scottish to their credit recovered their poise and once again took control, dominating possession and territory for the next twenty minutes but critically failing to convert these into points,. Matt Dowling and Josh Heke were among those who seemed to have made critical breaks but all came to naught. Truly, it was in this passage that Richmond earned their win, when despite being second best they dug in and held out. And as so often happens this phase of the game ended all of a sudden when Richmond forced en error within range and Hart edged the home side out to a nine point lead. Thus far Scottish were in the hunt, but the crucial score came on the stroke of half time. David Gaule sliced a clearance into the crowd; the ball was returned to Hart who advanced ten metres up the line and popped a quick throw in to his wing colleague Emmerson, Scottish meanwhile were trotting up towards the touch judge for a conventional lineout; it simply did not occur to them that Mr Doyle would do anything other than haul Emmerson back, given that the ball had been handled by the crowd thus rendering illegal the quick throw option. Despite the conversion drifting astray, the home side now had a monumental lead they surely did not feel they deserved. As so often seems to happen, the next key moment felt like an attempt at compensation. Gaule had already been sent from the field to contemplate the causal effect of that kick, after killing the ball when a devastating break by Dowling had ended with the winger isolated. But, with first half overtime still running, Mr Doyle stirred the crowd, none of whom saw Murphy’s sly assault on James Templeman, by sending the Richmond lock not to the touchline but all the way to an early bath. Scottish thus began the second half knowing their own missing man would return, and give them an advantage for the rest of the game, and duly clawed back five points when they took advantage of Murphy's absence to put a penalty into the corner and force a lineout over, Matt Johnston eventually getting the credit. Yet no sooner was Gaule restored than man of the match Gregory emerged from a ruck close to the Scots line and charged over far too easily, Hart converting. Now the deficit looked too great to overhaul, and so it proved - but only just. Scots' optimism was encouraged when Lake joined the men on the side for illegally slowing Scottish ball on the Richmond line. Scottish took the scrum against the six man pack and Alex Alesbrook had space to peel off and force his way over, Williams’s conversion bringing the gap down to nine points. With 15 minutes plus added time to come, surely there would be every chance Scottish could catch up. But bizarrely, Lake was restored after exactly nine minutes had elapsed, despite his colleagues clearly taking up two or three of those minutes for treatment and other stoppages, so Scottish had too little time to profit. They did, though, narrow the gap further when Logan showed his true abilities and upper body strength, simultaneously collecting a midfield pass and two tacklers 15m out, but able with the aid of colleagues to force his way over the line. The conversion left the Scots two points adrift but despite almost total domination, a final score would not come. Often, Scottish appeared to have found the gap or created the chance; but just as often, the home side snuffed out the danger, and managed even to nick a scrum against the head and a couple of the visitors' lineouts - a heroic display from a side a man short. At the last Mr Doyle penalized Richmond on halfway; he might well have marched them back ten, given the level and insolence of their protests, and that would have made Williams' kick easier, but the Scots' fly half nevertheless, with no time for a kick to the corner, went for the goal. The kick drifted well wide and short and that was that. Paul McFarland |
Proving a handful - Kenny above and Kim below - photosd Alison Bridgeman
London Scottish
15. Max Evans
Scoring sequence: London Scottish Scorers: Yellow card: Gaule (39) Richmond Hart, Emmerson, Saunders, Goatley, Piggot, Leigh, Taberner, Alllhusen, Whitfield, Gregory, Dixon, Murphy, Lake, Barlow, Skinstad
Scorers:
Red Card Murphy (40+2) Man of the Match Owen Gregory, Richmond
|
.jpg)
.jpg)
