EASTBOURNE RUBGY FOOTBALL CLUB – MATCH REPORT – 09.09.07

LONDON 3SE LEAGUE : OLD MIDWHITGIFTIANS 17 EASTBOURNE 35.

Eastbourne demonstrated its strength in depth when, with 10 players unavailable from its first fifteen squad, it, nevertheless, fielded a quality team that dispatched OMWs with a great and entertaining team performance in its opening league game of the season. The pack dominated the OMW eight in most phases of the game while backs ,marshalled well by skipper Matt Pysden at scrum half and Danny Craven at fly half, were sharp in attack and resolute in defence.

Playing away on a pristine pitch, Eastbourne was soon in gear, a series of attacks into the OMW 22 led to the Eastbourne pack pushing its opponents over the try line and, although an immediate score did not result, it created the momentum for centre Steve Clark to score on his league debut when the ball was played wide to him. Hooker Nathan Ring kicked a fine conversion to provide a lead for the Blue & Golds after just 4 minutes. Although Eastbourne continued to attack, the OMW fly half Chivers’s kicking kept the hosts in touch, converting two penalty awards to reduce the margin to 7 – 6 after 15 minutes. In response Eastbourne’s pack forced the host eight to concede a string of penalties, culminating in two excellent penalty kick conversions from Nathan Ring : OMW’s Chivers split these two kicks with a neat drop goal. The resulting 13 – 9 score-line was improved by Eastbourne just before half time when a series of sorties into the host’s 22 was completed by a crashing drive by centre Henry Stafford which took him over the try line, the conversion points were added by Nathan King to give Eastbourne a deserved interval lead of 20 – 9.

At the start of the second half Eastbourne was required to defend some concerted pressure by OMWs but the hosts either kicked ball away or were enmeshed in encompassing tackles by the Eastbourne back row and mid-field. The gap was closed to 20 – 12 when Chivers added a penalty goal for OMWs. Eastbourne resumed its attacking mode with some fluent rugby, exemplified when from a scrum within its own 22 flanker DamonVarney broke out, No.8 Joe Tobin continued the break with a determined run before the ball was whipped out to wing Tim Williams who sped down the left wing, there were several other interchanges before the ball just went adrift just metres from the home try line. This created the momentum for attacking scrums and rucks for Eastbourne within the OMWs 22, the OMW No.7  was yellow carded for persistently infringing and from the resulting scrum Joe Tobin picked up and drove over for Eastbourne’s third try, although the conversion failed, the score moved to 25 – 12. With the game entering the last 15 minutes Eastbourne again disrupted an OMW scrum and skipper Matt Pysden fed replacement back row man Adam Cottingham who scored the fourth try, unconverted, on his league debut: 30 – 12.

Eastbourne then launched a conclusive attack from within its own half with Danny Craven and Damon Varney involved before Matt Pysden accelerated down the right flank before supplying Steve Clark with a well timed pass for the latter to run over for his second and the team’s fifth try: 35 – 12. In the final minute OMWs did create the opportunity for a consolation, unconverted try, scored by full back Orchard to take the final score to 35 – 17.

Men of the Match: Such a great team effort, so all 18 were men of the match.
Team: Price, Ring, Baldwin, Farley, Groenen, Varney, Lawrence, Tobin, Pysden (captain), Craven, Williams, Stafford, Clark, Newell, Platt, Flude, Cottingham and Brown.       
PBL/09/09/07.