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| Reigate |
| EDF Junior Vase, Home |
| 6th September 2008 |
| Won 18-16 |
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| Starting 15 |
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| 1 |
Tin Tin |
| 2 |
Monkey |
| 3 |
Porty |
| 4 |
Big Ga Al (capt) |
| 5 |
Horse |
| 6 |
Matty Hodson |
| 7 |
Charlie Campbell |
| 8 |
Matty Laker |
| 9 |
Jez |
| 10 |
ChiChi |
| 11 |
Soap |
| 12 |
Rowen |
| 13 |
Wilko |
| 14 |
Tim Laker |
| 15 |
Yids |
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| Impact Players |
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| 16 |
Scrabble |
| 17 |
Bosh |
| 18 |
Will |
| 19 |
Stuart |
| 20 |
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| 21 |
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| 22 |
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It's two from two after the first home game of the season,
and although conditions made flowing rugby difficult the Norfolk battled to a
dramatic 18-16 win.
Two McMichael penalties calmed early nerves as the Norfolk led 6-0 but
discipline and poor handling prevented the advantage being pressed. Reigate
worked their way up the pitch with some penalties and then took a quick tap to
score, the conversion hit the cross bar but stayed good to give the visitors a
slim lead.
The Norfolk woke up again and the pack led the way with some simple off loading
typical of the Norfolk style, Richard Mckenna and Matt Hodson leading the way.
Inside centre Rowan Witch also showed good power and determination to keep
going forward. It was not long before the pressure told and following good
hands Tim (one dip) Laker went in for a try. Discipline again cost us when
following several attempts to clear our lines the opposition was awarded a
penalty kick in front of the posts which was duly converted to leave a 3 point
ball game going into half time.
Reigate played the conditions well in the second half and defended bravely
every time the Norfolk looked like scoring, several chances went begging none
more frustrating then Jez Stewart being penalised for a double movement on the
try line. Hodson also went close as did Witch and Wilkinson but all three
attempts were thwarted by excellent tackling on the line. Several times the
backs looked like breaking away only for the last pass to go astray, and it was
Reigate who struck twice in succession with two penalties to take the lead.
Pete Hoare further compounded the misery with his second yellow card in two
weeks for a very interesting dive over a ruck, not only did he see yellow from
the referee but the Japanese judge only gave a 6.2.
The pack weathered the storm with only seven and when there were only four
minutes left on the clock and one minute on the sin bin the pack put a massive
drive on the Reigate scrum with Ben Midgely cleanly hooking the ball against
the head, in a blur of movement Jez Stewart picked up and ran blind forcing a
two on one with the opposite winger giving Simon Robotham space to run. The
young wing dynamo out sprinted four players in a fifty metre dash to the line
to regain the lead and herald the return of the sin binned Pete Hoare. Reigate
pressured heavily to regain possession from the restart but in the end an
unplayable ball brought about the end of the game to much cheering from our
ever present home support.
We look forward to our first league game against Hastings and Bexhill 2 next
week at home but all involved know there is still a lot to be done to avoid
what so nearly happened this week. Thanks this week to Tim Laker, Ben Midgely,
Mike Slator, Matt Hodson, Will Eales, Richard Swan and Pete Hoare for their
efforts to make the ground ready for the match. |
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