St Albans 3rd XV 29 – 34 Old Ashmoleans 2nd XV

St Albans 3rd XV 29 – 34 Old Ashmoleans 2nd XV

St Albans 3s started the season without their captain this weekend, and due to a large amount of unavailability, had to play with 13 players. As luck would have it, Old Ashmoleans had a similar problem, and only had 13 players. Unfortunately, their 13 looked a lot younger and fitter than the likes of Ricky Thornhill, Tim Davy, Roly, and John Martin!!

Saints started strongly, and took an early lead with No. 8 Stuart chasing his own kick, and the Ashmoleans full back fumbling and dropping the ball over his line for Stuart to fall on. 5-0 to Saints. Ashmoleans came back strongly, and the powerful centres lead the fight back, scoring a number of tries to take the score to 5-22. Just before half time, another Saints attack ended with the ever magnificent Davy going over for a try from the back of a ruck. The heavens opened, half time was called and the score was 10-22 to the visitors.

The second half saw Saints playing the territorial game, kicking deep in to the Ashmoleans half, and playing a tight game. This saw Saints gradually claw back the score line and despite a blip when a try was scored against us, went in to the last 5 minutes with a lead of 29-27. Stuart got his 2nd try of the game, and Kieron O’Connell got another (selfishly not passing to Tim Davy outside him), cant remember who got the other try. Saints again played deep in Ashmoleans territory, when the aging fly half (not as aging as our fly half it must be said!!!), picked up the ball, and ran from his own 10m line to score under the posts, with some tired and ineffective tackling making him look 30 years younger. The conversion went over, and Saints found themselves 5 points down, with minutes to go.

The kick was taken long, and Ashmoleans tried to play their way out of their half, and gave away a penalty. Saints drove towards the line and set up a ruck. The slippery ball was recycled and passed down the line, but was dropped…..cant remember by whom, but Ricky Thornhill is thick skinned, so I shall blame him.

With that last fumble, the referee blew the final whistle, and Saints were gutted to lose what had been a very enjoyable game of Rugby, played in great spirit by all the players on both sides.

Special mentions go to Johnno from Maidstone, who had travelled to Old Albanians that morning to watch the rugby, but had turned up at the wrong club, and somehow ended up in a St Albans shirt, borrowed shorts, socks and boots, and played a blinder, before heading off to OAs to catch his mates up. Also to Warren, who, at the age of 40, played his first ever game at scrum half, and to John Martin, who had to live with that at Fly Half. Also to Adams mate Connor, who played his first ever game of Rugby, and was a star.