EASTBOURNE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB – MATCH REPORT – 29.03.08

LONDON LEAGUE 3SE : EASTBOURNE 17 OLD MIDWHITGIFTIANS 11.

Having beaten OMWs in the opening game of the season, Eastbourne repeated the success at Park Avenue on Saturday to gain its first home and away double. In doing so it secured its league status for next season, whilst OMWs will have to await the outcome of considerations involving league sizes and geographical redistributions of certain clubs to determine which league they will play in next season.

Once again a strong up and down wind was the main feature of the conditions and Eastbourne, playing up the slope and into the wind, coped very well: the forwards were strong in the rucks, achieving several crucial turnovers whilst winning good line out ball thanks to the efforts of locks Dom Groenen and Gavin Farley. The backs played sensible rugby, well led by half backs Matt Pysden and James Bremer, taking the ball up the pitch with good recycling of the ball. Consequently the Blue and Golds gained greater possession and territory. But OMWs competed well with fly half Dan Crouch astutely leading good counter moves and it was he who put the visitors in the lead with an accurate penalty goal on 18 minutes. Eastbourne continued to attack but several times failed to get the final pass away and OMWs latched on to these errors, one was taken up by their long striding lock Russell Jones who out ran Eastbourne’s back footed defence to score an unconverted try to increase the OMWs lead to 0 – 8 after 33 minutes. Otherwise Eastbourne remained secure with full back Ali Coombe fielding the high ball well. The half ended with Eastbourne having most of the play but eight points in deficit, although it was probable that this would not be enough for the visitors given the adverse conditions they would have to face in the second half.

This half started with Eastbourne’s injury hoodoo continuing as talented wing Adrian Platt had to retire with a dislocated shoulder, James Coulthard took over in the centre with Steve Clark moving to the wing. It was Coulthard and James Bremer, whose shared line kicking was excellent, who forced OMWs to play inside its own 22. After just 2 minutes a superb rolling maul by the forwards took play close to the try line, the ball was whipped to the backs and Coulthard supplied the ultimate pass for Bremer to crash over near the posts, a successful conversion by hooker Nathan Ring, who was having a great game, took Eastbourne within a point of OMWs at 7 – 8. Eastbourne continued on the offensive and broke out from a ruck near the left touch line with skipper Matt Pysden leading the way, his pass to prop Andy Price culminated with the latter’s unconverted try which took the Blue & Golds into a 12 – 8 lead. At this point No.8 Matt Thompson was sin binned for tackling off the ball and OMWs Dan Crouch added to his conversions with a good penalty goal against the wind to reduce the margin to 13 – 11 after 23 minutes. Eastbourne replaced Andy Price with Dick Barron and Tom Buttle with Joe Tobin, these fresh legs gave the hosts fresh impetus and coupled with more good line kicking by the Bremer/ Coulthard duo, saw the Blue & Golds increase their lead after 30 minutes when another great driving maul by the pack was completed with a well deserved unconverted try from lock Gavin Farley to take the score to a final 17 – 11.

With a comprehensive win at Dunstonians, Lewes overtake Eastbourne with a slightly superior points for and against difference but neither of the bottom two clubs can overtake either of the two Sussex teams.

MOM: Good distribution, strong in the tackle, good kicking from the hand and a try earned James Bremer a well deserved accolade.

Team: Flude, Ring, Price, Groenen, Farley, Buttle, Bailey, Thompson, Pysden, Bremer, Platt, Davidson, Clark, Keen, Coombe, Barron, Coulthard and Tobin.

Peter Lloyd/30/03/08.