Sidcup RFC

They have now lost four of the last five matches although a redeeming feature is that three of these have been to the sides currently in the top places in the league.

Chichester, who arrived as league leaders, won a close match in tropical conditions earlier in the season. Saturday could hardly have been much different. A cold wind blew pretty much straight across the pitch and was clearly going to have a major effect on the game. Chichester played the first half up the slope and it was immediately evident that they had a very effective line-out and driving maul. They camped on the Sidcup line and only a fine defensive effort was withstanding the pressure with Peter Grayson and Julian Poff both making crucial steals.

It took Sidcup twenty minutes to get into the Chichester twenty two but when they did they were rewarded with a try. Jim Hardy kicked a penalty to the corner. From the line-out, the driving maul was stopped on the line but Poff broke and plunged over. Hardy just failed with an excellent kick into the wind.

On balance, the rest of the half belonged to Sidcup. Although the Sidcup line-out was not functioning as normal, the backs looked dangerous. Ryan Hudson nearly chased down a cross-kick by Jamie Cutler and Richard Day and Hudson combined in a move that was stopped just short but the position was wasted when Sidcup conceded a penalty. Intelligent kicking by Hardy, Cutler and Richard Clarke was keeping Chichester on the defensive but their pack was showing the knack of winning the ball at critical moments and the home side was unable to add to its lead. On the stroke of half-time, Sidcup were penalized at a ruck on their twenty two and Tom Wicks was given a yellow card. Stuart Pearham reduced the lead.

Sidcup began the second half by camping on the Chichester line following an excellent break by Clarke. They battered the Chichester line with a series of drives and Poff and Hudson went close to scoring but the Chichester defence stood as firm as Sidcup’s had in the first period. Eventually Sidcup conceded two penalties in quick succession and lost seventy yards. A third penalty led to a line-out deep in the Sidcup twenty two. An admirably subtle piece of clearing out allowed Moses Kasujja an unopposed run from a front peel to give the visitors the lead. Pearham converted with an even better kick than his earlier penalty.

Sidcup spent the last half hour of the match stuck in or near their twenty two. On the occasions they managed to make some headway they conceded a penalty, usually at a ruck and were back near their line. Although the defensive effort was excellent, it was always going to be difficult to sustain against a pack of Chichester’s quality. Eventually, following a series of pick and drives, Scott Barlow, one of several Chichester forwards who had carried well throughout, forced his way over leaving Pearman with a slightly less difficult kick than the previous two. Although the game was effectively lost, Sidcup still had the opportunity to get a losing bonus point but the stream of penalties continued and they never looked likely to get into a position to threaten the Chichester line.

The defeat leaves Sidcup still in fifth place but Chichester and Guernsey are in danger of disappearing over the horizon. On the evidence of their big, athletic pack in particular, Chichester are sure to be challenging for top position in the league at the end of the season. Sidcup’s defensive efforts are still exceptional and, apart from Guernsey (and the horror twenty minutes at Trojans which is best forgotten about anyway), opposing sides are not accumulating scores which can’t be overhauled. However the points scored seem to have dried up. Chances are being created but are not being taken. The inability to “read the referee” especially at the breakdown is also a factor in the number of penalties conceded and this contributes to an inability to build sustained pressure in opposition territory.

This Saturday Sidcup visit Haywards Heath and the following week sees the annual outbreak of xenophobia with the start of the International Championship (which your Correspondent believes is the correct name for the competition). If things don’t go too well at Haywards Heath, he may wish to refer to this at some length next week.