Current Match Reports
12th April 2008
The Perfect Storm
Mitcham 9 Old Cranleighans 10
Old Cranleighans are celebrating a fantastic unbeaten season,
eighteen straight victories culminating in a tense and dramatic battle
which went down to the wire. Third placed Mitcham were desperate for a
win that would at least give them a shot at promotion, and that desire
almost saw them topple the runaway League Champions, a penalty in the
dying moments held up on an opportune squall. Cranleighans won the
title several weeks ago, and for much of the game the tantalising
prospect of a clean sweep of the league looked beyond them. This team
is not short of heart however, and as the heavens opened at the close,
OCs had fought back to seize a single point advantage, and with it the
crowning glory of a season to savour.
On a large and over-grassed paddock, in the shadow of the pylons, the
gathering storm clouds were initially held back by bright sunshine, but
in their skipper, Mitcham supporters were only too familiar with a red
mist about to descend. A wild early haymaker at the lineout, was soon
followed by an blatant yellow card offence at the breakdown. Incessant
talk at the official on return hardly endeared the No 8, and a late
tackle and raised forearm early in the second half saw the captain sent
from the field. All Mitcham’s early good work was squandered, and only
a valiant effort from the seven-man pack kept the hosts in the game.
Mitcham started strongly, their urgency manifested in some robust
rucking, a powerful opening from a sizeable pack. Fired up and roared
on by a decent crowd, Mitcham should have taken an early lead, centre
Neville seizing onto a speculative midfield miss pass, only to fumble
the ball with the OC line at his mercy. OCs survived this early
warning, but soon found themselves back in trouble, the slope and wind
pinning them within their own half. Goal line heroics and some
excellent tackling around the fringes with Simon Steer and Robin
Williams prominent, kept Mitcham at bay for a time but, caught offside
after ten minutes, OCs were forced to watch as Liam Dewsbury nailed a
confident first penalty. A decent extended period of OC pressure
followed, but the visitors failed to come away with any reward and in
breaking the siege Mitcham grew in belief. With no number four jumper
for OCs at the lineout, the hosts were guaranteed possession, but in Al
Lawson OCs found a safe outlet. Lineout calls of Stephen Hawking like
complexity could hardly disguise the fact that Lawson jumping at two
would be the intended target, yet throughout the game OC were grateful
for an athletic display from the Soweto Soarer.
Dewsbury calmly slotted a second penalty, and a third success struck a
more ominous note for OCs. A poor restart was symptomatic of a worrying
period for the visitors, Mitcham simply wanted the victory more at this
point. Dewsbury lined up a fourth penalty attempt, and with Dom Hammond
floored by a stray boot in a messy scramble for the loose ball, it
seemed OCs would go into the interval twelve points down and without
their first choice kicker. The penalty went astray however, and the
half-time whistle gave OCs time to gather themselves. Apparently
content to wait for the advantage of slope and breeze, OCs were given a
quiet tongue lashing at the break, an unbeaten season hanging by an
extremely tenuous thread. From the restart the games changed
complexion, and within five minutes Mitcham were left to draw on tiring
levels of fitness and desire by the latest moment of madness from their
captain. OCs re-jigged their line up, Graeme Brown hounded all day by a
useful Mitcham back row but typically aware of his team’s need, making
way as Andy Houston stepped in to scrum half, Harry Jupp ushering
Hammond up from full-back to fly-half.
Cajoled by Houston into a more urgent rhythm, Cranleighans at last
began to threaten, but as the half lengthened OCs still had it all to
do. A huge period of pressure drained the Mitcham seven, their defence
holding out bravely in the face of decisive advantage for OCs at the
set piece. Finally OCs gained reward, Simon Steer, ubiquitous all
afternoon, on hand to touch down wide right of the uprights with just
ten minutes left to play. Hammond’s kick was not an object of beauty,
the low fat slap somehow skidding over the bar to take Cranleighans to
within a score. Moments later Steer almost single handedly won the
game, a brilliant solo run leaving all but the last desperate cover
trailing in his wake. The pressure on the hosts stretched to breaking
point and with only minutes to spare Hammond this time made no mistake,
drilling a penalty from in front of the posts to earn a one-point lead.
Mitcham had given everything in pursuit of promotion, and were not to
know that it any event rivals Old Haileyburians’ own victory saw them
take the second league spot irrespective of the outcome in this
attritional battle. Throwing bodies at a final assault, Mitcham earned
a last ditch penalty and elected to go for goal. Dewsbury had kicked
well earlier, but now found the awkward wind further harnessed by a
fierce downpour. Cranleighans perfect season came down to this, and it
seemed fate was on hand conspiring to hold the penalty attempt up on a
swirling gust. Even then Hammond had work to do, claiming the hanging
ball and making yards in the teeth of some desperate follow up tackles,
before Cranleighans worked the ball clear, and could begin what proved
to be a long and liquid party into the night.
Green Jacket: Al Lawson
Green Faces: Brownie and Keg on Sunday morning
Green Card: Keg, its been a pleasure mate. Good luck and get back to us ASAP.
Archived Rugby Match ReportsFor the second half of the 2007/08 season, click here For the first half of the 2007/08 season, click here For the 2006/07 season, click here
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