Old Williamsonians 40 v Lordswood 5

Win this match and the Old Boys new they would be top of the table for Xmas………….Win they did, but no one could of predicted the white wash witnessed on Saturday afternoon at the Fortress.

With Lords just behind the Willies on points but with a better point’s difference and the rivalry of the two local clubs over the past few seasons since the demise of Lords from the London leagues back in to Kent 2, this young Willies side new they would be up against it.

With the Willies having to play on the old top pitch due to the school house day making the first team pitch into a bog fit for pigs the game kicked off with the Willies playing down the slope.

The first 10 minutes of this game were what you would expect from two teams at the top of the table, with both sets of forwards looking to build solid territorial advantage for the backs to open the game up. With all the game play in the middle of the park and the slightly larger pack of Lordswood just edging the play at the break downs it looked like this young Willies side were going to suffer from the up the jumper style of rugby that Lordswood clearly favour.
As mentioned in past weeks reports this Young Willies side however, unlike past Willies teams doesn’t know the meaning of the word “beaten” and for the next 70 minutes played their best rugby of the season to date to lay down a marker to the rest of the league that they are going to take some beating this season and will not be giving up top spot without a fight.

With it clear that Lordswood, although the bigger team were not the fittest and with the slope in their favour the Willies new they had to make this next half hour count if they were going to walk away with all of the points at the end of this match. With the forwards starting to edge the ball at the break downs and the superb distribution of ball from scrum half Will Burton the backs started to make ground and were running hard at the Lords defence. Knowing that they had to get the score board ticking the Willies were awarded a penalty just inside the Lords half with Captain Bowie opting for a kick a goal for the first points on the board. He missed the long range effort “just” and the Willies set to receive the return ball. With the forwards securing the ball at the break down good yards were made by the young pack into the Lordswood half and when the time was right with enough of the opposition sucked in the ball was shipped wide at pace into the arms of old boy Mark “Squelch” Welch who with work to do beat his man and crashed over for the first try of the game. The conversion was good and the Old Boys were 7-0 up. From the restart Willies collected the ball clean and set up a number of fast rucks with the young pack using the car ball well to make vital ground into the Lords half. With it clear that Lordswood were unable to cope with the pace of play the Willies found the car ball to be working to their advantage, so well that they worked there way to the Lordswood try line before a pack effort saw the ball crash over in the arms of Alex “Alice” Cross. With the ball grounded just to the left of the post this left and easy conversion for the captain to slot over to make the score 14-0 with little over 20 minutes played.

To be fair to Lordswood they came back hard at the Willies and with there fly half kicking them good field position they worked there way deep into the Willies half. With a line out just inside the Willies 22 the Old Boys new what was coming and with Lordswoods height advantage in the line out their “Spaghetti” ball was called (Basically up at 2 in the line catch and drive.) the old boys reading this let Lords have the ball and set to repel the advance towards their line….. If the ball was straight that is and with pressure on the Lords hooker the throw was not straight and Willies opted for the scrum to clear their lines.

Lordswood had another jog into Old Wills territory before the half was out but never really looked like scoring and before the half was out Ben “Speedy Gonzales” Shears made it 21-0 with another well worked try involving most of the team shipping the wall wide to the pace man who tore down the outside before cutting in and scoring under the post.

The Old Boys had played some great rugby in the first half and kept the score board ticking, something which they have struggled to do so far this season and although having only lost 1 game and drawn the first game of the season have not been free flowing with the tries winning games only by a few points. They hoped that the points in the first half were not the only and looked to push on for that all important bonus point in the second half.

Playing up the slope in the Second half the Willies new they were going to be up against it with Lords looking to kick to the corner at every opportunity. The second half went much the same as the first half with the Willies looking to play at pace winning the ball at the set pieces and breakdowns then spinning wide to the pace of the young backs (Apart from “Squelch”)

To sum up the second half there were 2 more tries scored by our very own Ben “Speedy Gonzales” Shears who showed both strength and great pace out wide to strip the Lords winger and covering defence on both occasions to score two lovely tries that a young Rich Howden would have been proud of one of these being converted. His partner in crime Ashley “Slick Back” Smith also got on the score sheet with pace out wide again, showing the ball out only to cut inside on the tackler and score under the post. The captain adding the conversion again to round off the points for the Willies.

Lords kept going to the end and got their condolence try after a kick down field and an up the jumper drive to the line. The kick was wide and they only notched up the 5 points. With the final few minutes played out in the middle of the park the whistle went for full time much to the delight of the team and their faithful supporters who have waited along time to beat Lords and to do it in the fashion they did just added salt to the wound of their opposition. FINAL SCORE 40-5

The Barmy Army had a tough decision to make this week for MOTM and DOTD. Every player on the field had an awesome game and not one person put a foot wrong. We were going to ping the Captain for one miss at goal but to be fair it was out on the touch line so decide on two MOTM awards instead.
So not for the first time this season the forwards man of the match was Lewis “ The Pirate” Hepper. For such a young lad Lewis is an immense force and is one of the main reason why the Willies have been able to match up to some of the larger packs of the Kent 2 League this season.
The backs MOTM could only really go to one person and that was Ben “Speedy Gonzales” Shears for his all round play…. oh and the three tries he scored.

Special mentions must go to the whole pack who had a great game against a bigger older Lords pack but stood toe to toe and came out on top and also scrum half Will Burton for his control and class managing his pack and is great distribution of the ball.

The lads had their xmas party that night and from what I saw it was MESSY!!!!!! Here’s to a Very Merry Xmas one and all, enjoy the festive period and come back hungry in the new year to win the League!!!!

UP THE WILLIES!!!!