CS Start strongly but left holding on

The theme after last week was for CS to be relentless and play for the entire 80 minutes. However Tottonians who had restricted CS to three half tries, kept CS off the scoreboard for the last half an hour, whilst scoring three second half tries themselves.
CS kicked off and Ollie Fulljames set the game alight after only two minutes. Following a penalty, and a five metre lineout, the prop dived over the line with the powerful support of a couple of his forwards and despite two of the opposition front row attempting to hold him out, fly half Andy Hall converted. Tottonians replied a couple of minutes later from the boot of Robbie Searle; 7 – 3. CS then had a number of opportunities including a scrum several metres out following an injury break for the Tottonians number 8 Chris Dumont, but careless mistakes foiled all those scoring attempts. On twenty five minutes fly half Hall slipped through the Tottonians midfield defence and scored in the left corner but could not convert his try. Tottonians then had a brace of penalties from set scrums but were unable to trouble the score board. Once CS cleared the ball and worked play up field, they were awarded a penalty on the visitors 22 metre line, and scrum half Adam Nixon shaped to kick to the corner but caught the defence knapping, tapped and then fed hooker Josh Forrester who drove over to score, Hall converted 19 – 3. Although Tottonians received a penalty and kicked for a line out well into CS’s half there were no further scores in the first half.
Despite Tottonians kicking off CS maintained the pressure after the start of the second half, following an excellent break by Robbie Boswell well into the opposition territory and after just 30 seconds CS were awarded a penalty which they kicked for a five metre line out. Successfully won, the ball was worked infield and resulted in a five metre scrum near the posts. From the scrum the ball was moved quickly to the right for fullback James Houstoun to run through the Tottonians right wing to score, Hall was unable to convert; 24 – 3. From the restart CS initially had possession but then gave away 4 penalties in five minutes the last of which the opposition ran and scored; 24 – 8. Although Toby Guyatt scored CS’s fifth try resulting from a lost Tottonians line out, which was unconverted, CS had made some substitutions and positional changes which resulted in Tottonians getting back into the game. Firstly their outside centre Rich Buck scored which was converted; 29 – 15, and within two minutes scored again this time down the right wing 29 – 20. Tottonians then made a valiant effort for the score that would result in at least two bonus points, including running it from their own line, but CS held out.
CS having dominated large parts of the game will be disappointed by conceding 12 penalties and for a loss of focus in the last half hour. The next CS game will be an important away trip to Havant on 4th November, a match in which CS will certainly have to play for the full 80 minutes.