EASTBOURNE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB – MATCH REPORT- 10.11.07

LONDON LEAGUE SE3:  EASTBOURNE       17   TONBRIDGE-JUDDIANS  10

Still missing long term injured Danny Craven, Sam Gower and Matt Thompson and with Dom Groenen rested, Eastbourne also had to make late changes, so that the starting XV was once again several players different from the previous week. This showed particularly in an undistinguished first half. Although the Blue & Golds dominated the first half hour there was a familiar pattern of the ball being lost in contact and error strewn passes whilst neither team could achieve good possession from the line-outs as a result of poor delivery. Eastbourne had the benefit of slope, breeze and sun so Tonbridge-Juddians found it difficult to work the ball into the home half, having to kick defensively to touch for much of the time. In the first 20 minutes both sides missed penalty goal conversion attempts so that period remained scoreless. Eastbourne attacks were also stymied by conceding a string of penalties for technical infringements. The dead lock was then broken when left wing Matt Crane made a determined thrust into the T-J 22 and was tackled just short of the line, the ball was played back to fly-half James Coulthard who eluded the defence with a neat inside step to score under the posts, he then added the conversion points to give Eastbourne a 7 – 0 lead. T-J responded with a strong attack up the left flank and gained the ball from a line-out and its pack developed a rolling maul which took it over the Eastbourne line for an unconverted try; Eastbourne had a great opportunity to go further ahead when Coulthard’s kick was well directed into space within the T-J 22, with the visiting defence having to back pedal the guilt-edged chance was unaccountably missed by failure to follow up convincingly, thus at the turn round the score was 7 – 5 in Eastbourne’s favour.

Despite playing against the elements in the second half, there was a distinct improvement in the Eastbourne play, there was more conviction and zest in the team’s efforts, attacks were better constructed, ball was retained better with more accurate passing. The front row of Adam Flude, Nathan Ring and Andy Price not only did well in the tight but also proved good ball carriers, Coulthard and his centres Steve Clark and Adam Lawrence provided further penetration but the principal advantage was a tour de force by No.8 Henry Stafford who came off the back of scrums and rucks in storming fashion on several occasions. On one such occasion he crashed past an effete cover defence to stride 40 metres to and over the T-J try line for an unconverted try to extend Eastbourne’s lead to 12 – 5. But Eastbourne could not feel comfortable as the T-J right wing struck back with an excellent opportunist try, grounding the ball near the corner flag for an unconverted try and reducing the gap to 12 – 10. Eastbourne continued to persevere with strong surges up the centre of the pitch but it was Stafford who deftly picked up a loose ball from a ruck and delivered to Steve Clark who out sped the T-J defence to touch down for an unconverted try. As no-side beckoned Eastbourne had resist a strong Tonbridge-Juddian  response , but the whistle brought a 17 – 10 victory for the Blue & Golds and an invaluable two league points. With Lewes losing 19 – 8 at Chichester, Eastbourne has leap-frogged it’s near neighbours, on points for & against difference, who join Tonbridge-Juddians as the two current basement sides.

MOM: there were several improved displays but Henry Stafford’s great display earns him the accolade.

Team: Price, Ring, Flude, Spires, Tobin, Light, Oakey, Stafford, Pysden (c), Coulthard, Crane, Clark, Lawrence, Platt, Keen, Baldwin, Bremer, Redman.