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| Saturday saw a full strength, but still unfancied Norfolk
Arms travel to play the Worthing Development Squad (as they like to be called).
Worthing, sitting top of the league, and having blown apart all but a resilient
Barns Green, were under instructions to rectify their shortcommings, and
deliver a match winning backlash against our boys in red. The Norfolk were in a
nervous, but bullish mood before kick off. having arrived to see Worthing
already being put through their paces by a deadly serious coach. However, there
was a growing sense of belief about the squad, and a call to arms by (amongst
others) captain Ali Hoare, obviously did something. Playing into a miserable
gale, James Baldwin kicked off, only for the ball to sai lhorizontally across
the pitch, and give the initiative to Worthing in the form of a scrum. What
followed can only be described as a demolition, as the Norfolk proceeded to
take apart the Worthing set piece, crushing them backwards and depriving them
of good ball for the rest of the game.Instantly lifted by this demonstration of
Steyning superiority, the Norfolk smashed anything in a Worthing shirt, aplying
pressure, and consistenlty knocking supposedly superior players backwards.
However, it was Worthing who drew first blood, and kept up the pressure for the
first 40, scoring an unconverted try, and a penalty in the process. Their
failure to play the percentages and use the wind in the first half though,
would prove costly. At the turn around, the Norfolk used their heads, bodies,
and every drop of courage to climb out of the defecit through a try from
wrecking ball Rich "porty" Mckenna, and the boot of Paul McMichael.
The scrum continued to wreak havoc in the tight, and the defence from the backs
was exceptional. The defining moment came in the third quarter, when Worthing
upped the intensity, and threatened to break through; after winning a line out
inside the Norfolk half, they swung the ball right, only for a fearless and
busy Simon "SOAP" Robotham to scoop the ball out of the air and run
in a fantastic solo try from 60 metres out. Dead eye yiddley added the extras.
From then on, there was little doubt as to the outcome. Worthing never gave up
(bless em) and managed to score again, but it is more telling that they had 3
tries held up or dissallowed due to herioc Norfolk defence. A Yiddley penalty
put the game to bed for the visitors, and as the final whistle blew, it dawned
on the newly promoted pub side from Steyning, that they were top of the league
having beaten a very good team, convincingly 23-13. Thanks to the ref, who had
a stormer, our irrepressable band of supporters, who outnumbered Worthing's 20
to 1 (literally), to Worthing, who showed surprising sportsmanship for their
club, and to every one of the Norfolk boys, who made me proud to be part of
this squad. On a personal note, I would like to add: GET IN THERE YOU
BEAUTIES!!!!!!! |
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