EASTBOURNE RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB – MATCH REPORT for 18.11.07.
EDF SENIOR VASE COMPETION ROUND THREE

EASTBOURNE  26         WINCHESTER 27 

Eastbourne failed by the narrowest of margins to secure this exciting and fluctuating tie after sharing eight tries with the Hamphire outfit. It failed because four kickable penalty goal attempts went astray and because Winchester always managed to respond after their hosts had gained a lead. For the second game running there was an improvement in Eastbourne’s play with improved handling, ball retention and penetration despite another three enforced changes from last Saturday. Winchester’s strength was it’s heavy pack, in particular it gained great possession in the line-outs , dominated through lock Cambell Ettinger’s catching, which it developed into well engineered rolling mauls. Eastbourne, however, was able to exploit the Winchester back line which stood shallow and widely spaced in attack, inviting the counter attack and interceptions.

Although Winchester started brightly facing slope and wind, it was Eastbourne who took an early lead after five minutes when an attempted Winchester chip was charged down and fly half James Coulthard latched onto the ball and burst through a back footed defence to touch down near the posts, he then added the conversion points to produce a 7 – 0 score. Winchester struck back, working the left touch line and winning the line out to roll maul the ball over the Blue & Golds line for a try, a fine touch line kick added the conversion points to equalise. Eastbourne again went ahead when full back Andrew Jackson secured the ball just outside the Winchester 22 and eluded the defence with a neat inside step and race to the line, Coulthard’s conversion kick was successful to increase the lead to 14 – 7. A few minutes before half-time right wing Matt Crane pounced on a loose Winchester pass to speed over for Eastbourne’s third try, which hooker Nathan Ring converted for a 21 – 7 score line. This should have been enhanced when, enduring a sustained period of pressure from Eastbourne, Winchester conceded three successive penalties, each about 30 metres from the posts and not difficult angles, but the kicks slid outside the uprights. Winchester then took advantage by driving up the right flank and running the ball in from close quarters to score an unconverted try near the right corner flag to bring the half time score to 21 – 12 in Eastbourne’s favour.

The Winchester pack exerted heavy pressure at the commencement of the second half and this advantage was exacerbated by some verbal indiscipline by Eastbourne which resulted in the team being penalised and relinquishing key territory. The visitors took advantage to score an unconverted try to reduce the home lead to 21 – 17. The Blue & Golds then spent the next 10 minutes on or around the Winchester 22 and were unfortunate not to add to their score when centre Adam Lawrence, having an impressive game, was tackled just short of the line and when another kickable penalty award sailed just wide of the upright. With just 9 minutes to go, the Blue and Golds seemed to have established a strangle hold on the game when from a melee on the far left flank skipper Matt Pysden intercepted a pass on the blind side to put left wing Alan Monkhouse in for an unconverted try, 26 -17. Winchester then kicked out of defence, the ball was touched in flight to give the visitors the throw in to the line out, a great catch and drive took the maul close to the Eastbourne line from where the ball was fed out to an unopposed left wing who ran in close enough to the posts to ensure the conversion was secure, Winchester was now just two points behind with the scores at 26 – 24. With just 2 minutes left Eastbourne conceded a penalty just outside it’s 22 and a successful kick gave Winchester the game, which it must have been relieved to have secured.

MOM: There were several good performances by Eastbourne players but the award goes to centre Adam Lawrence.

TEAM: Flude, Ring, Baldwin, Spires, Tobin, Oakey, Light, Stafford, Pysden (c), Coulthard, Monkhouse, Lawrence, Clark, Crane, Jackson, Price, Varney and Bremer

Peter Lloyd /1811/07.