1st XV match reports |
| September 16th 2006 |
London League Division One |
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London Scottish 66 Portsmouth 10 London Scottish cruised to this victory against promoted Portsmouth, controlling the game from start to finish. The visitors at times seemed awed by the venue or the occasion, standing off from tackles, hesitating at key moments and unable to prevent an eleven-try hammering. A hat-trick on his home league debut from Charles Broughton, as well as an excellent defensive display rightly earned the man of the match award for the winger, whose last competitive match on this pitch was the County Colts final last year. The starting front row all touched done for the second week running, and only a below par performance with the boot from Tom Williams - converting only four of the 11 tries – prevented a bigger rout. Even so, the visitors played throughout with great heart, and the game passed off in the best spirit, but Portsmouth will have to focus on securing points against fellow stragglers if they are to consolidate this season and survive. From the home perspective, though, this was more than satisfying. With injuries to Bruce and Ramsay last week, to add to the absences through injury or unavailability of among others Heather, Heke, Vines, Soper, Macdonald, Matt Johnston and Chris Johnstone, coach Terry O’Connor will have been pleased that a side still some way off what might be his first choice performed so fluently for much of the game. It would as ever be easy to point to chances spurned, particularly those occasions when overlaps were passed up, but in no game do all the available chances get taken. It was clear from the early exchanges that Portsmouth were going to struggle. Scottish had the edge in tight and loose and only on their own line-out did the visitors have a sure source of possession; yet Scottish could afford not to challenge the jumpers, confident they could subsequently force the error or the turnover. The opening scores were a penalty exchange by Tom Williams and Dan Neville. It took 12 minutes for the opening try to arrive. Melvyn Lewis, also on his league debut, crashing over after a driven scrum in the far corner. Williams missed the conversion, but had an easy chance two minutes later. Broughton spotted the opportunity from deep, looped into the line and hit Simon Devane’s pass at an angle which opened the gap in the Portsmouth centre. The defence at least tried to get close to him. Jim Kelly however will probably admit he expected to be floored as he rumbled towards the visitors line, but instead of taking the contact, he simply rode three half-hearted tackles and found himself still with ball in hand and over the line for his second try in as many weeks. Again the score was close enough to the posts for Williams not to miss. Broughton’s second was a similarly soft score. He was at his post on the wing when Rory Greenslade-Jones decided to chip clear of the midfield traffic. Broughton’s pace ensured he got to the line at the same time as the ball, and forced downward pressure on the ball while defenders hesitated. Greenslade-Jones set up his hat-trick score, with a well-timed pass to send him racing beyond the cover. From neither position, though, could Williams get the kick on target. Scottish then looked to have scored again as Ross Yiend broke clear from half-way after the home pack had shoved the visitors off their own scrum but the winger’s 50m dash was spoiled at the last with a foot over the side line as he shaped to touch down. The home side then lost its way somewhat, and the scoring dried up. Then at the end of the half Portsmouth ran in their only try of the game. Winger Oge Ofuasa had always looked to be the visitors’ only potent weapon, and he threatened to get away on several occasions. Each time Broughton or Williams hauled him back with well-timed interventions but when the winger snapped up a loose ball inside his own half, he sidestepped two urgent tackle attempts, and was away for a clear dash to the line. Neville converted. After the resumption, with possession once more in abundance, Scottish quickly resumed their earlier fluidity of movement. Devane grabbed a try for the back row union, and Paul Boulard skipped over from a quick tap penalty on the visitors’ 22. Williams again couldn’t convert, but managed at the next attempt when Box broke through three unconvincing tackles on his way to the line. The full back nailed his last kick when Stuart Peel scored the try to take the score past the half century, the fly half benefiting hugely from the yards made by Yiend, and quick ball at the breakdown. A five minute stoppage for treatment to Neville, who appeared to get the worst of a clash of heads, took the steam out of the game, but Scottish eventually recovered composure to produce the best move of the match, a passage of interpassing which culminated in Greenslade-Jones becoming the eighth try-scorer. Well into the time added on, Scottish then drove the home side back over their line from a 5m scrum, and Alex Alesbrook fell on the ball for the final score. Scottish now sit happily at the top of the table with two wins from two but there are challenges to come, and they will be mindful of Ealing, who have secured formidable wins away to Richmond and then Worthing. London Scottish v Ealing on October 14 always looked to be a key game. Paul McFarland |
Boulard crosses for try number 7 (photos Alan Ferris) London Scottish
15. Tom Williams
Whyte and Mackay man of the match: Charles Broughton
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| previous week's report - Bishop's Stortford click here |
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