Blues on the road after three week

The blues go on the road after long break

Chichester travelled to much improved Sutton and Epsom on Saturday following a three week break due to the weather and the Christmas interval. Sutton have rallied strongly after a quiet start to the season with an away draw to high flying London Irish and a good home win against Portsmouth in their last two outings and Chi knew that although they ran out fairly comfortable 34-7 winners at Oakland’s Park the away game was likely to be much tougher encounter.
The Blues were forced into a couple of changes from their impressive home win v H Heath with Billy Toone resting following minor surgery and Nick Shopland unavailable. Experienced former first team skipper Richard Johnson stepped up from the unbeaten 2nds for his first start of the season with highly rated 17 year old Jack Walker making his first team début from the bench.
A decent crowd watching from the impressive stand complete with mobile bar saw Sutton start strongly and indeed they had much the better of the early exchanges; forcing two early penalties one of which was slotted by the home team scrum half.
0-3; Chi weren’t helped by some poor kicking options when ball in hand seemed the better option.
Having weathered the early storm the blues rallied, Blount powered forward, Adams quick feet took him away from the cover Lawrence and Chris Johnson carried the move on being forced into touch just short of the line, although the black and whites cleared under pressure from the resulting lineout Chris Johnson surged over out wide with Adams calmly slotting the extras 7-3
The blue forwards were on a roll with some clever kicks from Adams keeping them going forward. The lineout was functioning well with Barlow commanding the front a great drive had the home team retreating two well worked phases and the ever present Polhill used his powerful leg drive to surge over for the second score.
Adams once again drilled the difficult kick from out wide.14-3.
With only 20 mins gone the game had ebbed and flowed from Sutton back to Chi but once again the black and whites responded their forward pack were proving resilient and once again they forced errors from the blues with the young home number eight breaking a series of weak tackles. Epsom’s extra urgency in the tackle area and some uncharistically soft defending took the home side close to the blue line, one more drive and the home prop smashed over close to the posts – simple conversion 14-10.
Sutton came again looking to be very physical at ruck time; a nasty punch off the ball on Lawrence left him dazed and as several home players piled in they moved the ball away with devasting effect ; as the ball went wide the S&E`s left wing chipped over chasing down the kick to score and excellent try. 14-17
If Chi didn’t know before they knew now that this game would require a test of character ; and they needed to lift the physicality and meet fire with fire.
Kasujja demanded more from his team and charitiscally took the game to S&E; the big skipper fuelled his anger driving into the heart of black and white defence creating quick ruck ball; quick hands and Adams stretched the defence; superb timing of the pass released Armah with 50m to go; the flying winger put on the after burners to accelerate away to score out wide. Conversion missed but back up to 19-17.
The blues were now in full flow, Veltom and Pszczonka battling hard in a fairly even battle in the scrum were giving an extra dimension in the loose constantly in support to carry and clear; giving the away side some excellent ball. Johnson at 9 broke and launched an attacking kick; a superb turnover and Adams was away the three defenders all drew towards him; Adams cleverly chipped leaving the defence completely flat footed as he raced past an outstretched leg brought him down – penalty try seemed the call as the ref ran towards the posts – but suddenly a change penalty to Chi and yellow card to the home winger.
Pretty disappointed but the blues showed their concentration to get on with the game by executing a well worked drive from the resulting penalty for Lawrence to score the fourth and bonus point try. HT 24-17
Once more Sutton showed why their form has improved with their back row giving the blues a real test particularly the young number 8 who was outstanding all afternoon and although not big he constantly broke the gain line and gave the black and whites real impetus. Forcing the errors once more and another penalty to pull the score to 24-20.
Chi decided to make the early change with Gray on into the backrow the divisional u20s player made a real impact with two or three thundering tackles and superb support play. A great drive off the back of a scrum and Renwick was released in space the Hartbury Hare smashed forward carrying defenders with him. From the resulting maul a key decision went against the blues as Decoteau now on for Lawrence drove forward Chris Johnson ripped the ball away and burst through the maul as the big back rower steamed to the line the call for forward pass ; shock from players and supporters alike; there had been no pass. With fifteen of the second half gone the try would have put some breathing space between the sides with conversion looking likely. Another decision went against the blues as again good ball going forward and the try was on only to be called back for stamping by the home prop who was carded and Adams slotted the three points; but certainly the try would have been preferred.27-20
The game was still close and although the blues were playing better and showing some real heart they could not get the killer score partially by unfortunate decisions and partially due to the opposition digging in and really playing some solid football.
Both sides probed Adams kicked high ; but the home fullback caught everything and cleared well , but at the other end Golds at 15 for Chi also caught well and cleared up a couple of very dodgy passes.
Fifteen to go and Walker now on linked well with Gray to counter deep into the home half the black and whites handled of their feet for Adams to slot the resulting pen.30-20.
Sutton were now out of the bonus point margin; but they came again pushing Chi back they forced another penalty to draw back to a 7 point gap. With only minutes to go they threw everything at the away side; but the blues would not be denied, first a tremendous lineout steal by Blount and then the same man won a vital turnover on the ground to hold the home line intact and a very tough but satisfying 30-23 win

Richard Isaac
Sutton were a well organised side with one or two excellent players, overall im happy with the win. We didn’t play with quite the intensity we can and there were certainly some rustiness after three weeks away.
Paul Colley
This was a highly competitive level six match with Sutton and Epsom showing they are a more than decent side with recent National League experience we will take some satisfaction of coming away with the bonus point win. That said we need to step up our intensity at training and the rest of our league games for our young team to really start fulfilling their potential.

Team Pszczonka Lawrence Veltom Barlow Blount Johnson C Polhill Lindsay Johnson R Adams Armah Kasujja – capt Renwick Jackson Golds Decoteau Gray & Walker
Next Week Chichester take on Sussex rivals Hove – 14,15 KO all support welcome