IGNATIANS GAIN SWEET REVENGE AS FIFTH LEAGUE WIN FOLLOWS

LONDON TWO NORTH-WEST: JANUARY 22

ENFIELD IGNATIANS 42 DATCHWORTH 6

Pay-back time for Enfield Ignatians was particularly sweet as the blue and golds handsomely avenged a prior 15-12 defeat to Datchworth by running in six tries without reply at Donkey Lane, writes Jonathan Landi.

Not that this was the cake walk that the final score-line would suggest. As Datchworth, down to the bare bones of a 15 man squad, certainly gave as good as they got in the second and third quarters, before the blue and golds pulled away in the final 15 minutes.

Indeed, Datchworth, forced to field a makeshift backrow unit of three backs, and have recourse to a couple of second team players, played with an enormous amount of heart, and they can proudly reflect that they were still in the contest until the 65th minute mark.

Still, the positives for Ignatians were many. Not noted as prolific try scorers, they secured a win bonus point victory for only the second time this season, following a hat-trick from the MOM Ben Mills (pictured here at the back of a driving maul), a brace from Lucas Yoxall and a touchdown from Carl Asare-Anderson.

The blue and golds also had their kicking boots on. Centre Dan Redding sent Ignatians on their way by rifling over an initial penalty following a sustained period of pressure, with the visitors conceding an estimated eight to ten penalties in the opening 25 minutes.

On the first occasion, a combination of scrum-half Anzl Swartz being taken out illegally, and Datchworth coming in at the side, set the platform for Redding to rifle over his kick, with the visitors drawing level minutes later.

However, the state of parity didn’t last long (three minutes) following a lovely break from Anzl Swartz, with the scrum-half intelligently pulling play in-field, before the support, in the form of a very tonic Lucas Yoxall, dotted down the off-load under the sticks.

Dan Redding added the extras and he was also on target with a second penalty after Datchworth continued to infringe, with the opposition number eight copping a yellow card for his side’s sins.

However, Datchworth did occasionally raise their head above their parapet and, despite squandering a potential try scoring opportunity (knock-on), they added a second penalty via their fly-half, before Ignatians engineered another definitive response.

Showing commendable attacking flair, which was exemplified by both work hungry wingers tracking to the opposite side of the field, they fired plenty of bullets and did well to run the ball back with interest after Datchworth kicked away possession.

Harry Masini almost broke through single-handedly only to be shackled by the last time of defence. Undaunted, Ignatians probed a second time, this time successfully, and with Luke Stack also featuring, Ben Mills took the scoring pass from Masini once the latter hit the deck.

Still, Datchworth had their chances. However, Ignatians were admirably equipped defensively even when the penalties started to stack up against them, which eventually led to the sin-binning of number eight Frank Antwi (coming off his feet) in the dying minutes.

They snaffled plenty of Datchworth’s lineout ball via the sterling efforts of Euan Renny and, even when forced to defend a 5m scrum as the half drew to a close, the front row denizens of Luke Stack, Alex McCall and Sam Bucknall, not for the first time, really came into their own.

Indeed, young Renny was at his tigerish best in this game when he added to his repertoire with some great carries, and some sterling counter-rucking and work from the restarts. Vice-captain, Liam Horn, too, was a hive of activity in the close quarter exchanges.

Playing up the slope in the first-half, Ignatians had every reason to contemplate the second-half with optimism, particularly as they were on a downhill trajectory, but, for most of the third quarter, things got worse before they got better.

For instead of kicking-on, Ignatians found themselves with their backs to the wall as Datchworth upped the tempo and, with the hosts also missing a number of first-up tackles, the visitors got themselves into some promising attacking positions.

Head coach Jack Wilson also attempted to re-energise his side by introducing the fresh legs of Jordan Rhoden (a promising prospect who has re-joined us from London Skolars) and Jake Baker, before further calamity befell Ignatians in the form of a second yellow card.

The timing could hardly have been much worse, with Frank Antwi having barely returned to the field, as the blue and golds again found themselves down to 14, with Lucas Yoxall, this time, suffering temporary banishment for a high tackle.

Ignatians continued to wobble and their control at the base of the scrum was poor at times, but they steeled themselves through some big defensive sets which enabled them to keep their line intact before they eventually lifted what had been a protracted siege.

The anxiety, doubt and fear eventually subsided and Ignatians closed out the game in style by running-in four tries in the last ten minutes, and having won the penalty, fullback Tom Buckland (ex Saracens Amateurs) took the cue by drilling a beauty to the corner.

It proved to be a prime pitch for the Ignatians tight eight, with the attacking maul rumbling forward in text book fashion, and captain Ben Mills, variously deployed as a flanker and hooker, retained good control at the back before plunging his way over.

Ignatians continued to work up an appetite and they again swept forward. This time, they shrewdly farmed the narrow side, and good interplay from Anzl Swartz and Ben Mills from a ruck sent centre Carl Asare-Anderson surging through for try number four.

The conversion attempt, from the far touchline, was a difficult one but Ignatians were on a roll, and fullback Buckland, having kicked well all afternoon, tapped into the mood of positivity with a sublime strike that was worthy of a higher division.

Try number five was very similar to try number three. Again, Buckland set up the field position from the penalty, with the pack again ruthlessly driving forward from the maul, with the tight eight, this time, unable to go all the way from the initial surge.

Having been stopped on the line (and one must credit some good defence from Datchworth), Ignatians recycled the ball through a couple of phases in-field, before the in-form Mills again got his hands on the ball and rounded off his hat-trick in style.

Intriguingly, Ignatians changed the kicker. Carl Asare-Anderson is honest enough a player to admit that kicking is perhaps not his forte. However, adding to his neat spiral kick against Old Streetonians, he again made progress in this area by stepping up to the plate with a clean strike that bisected the uprights.

It wasn’t quite finished and there was a pleasing fluency to try number six which had its origins in number eight, Frank Antwi, cutting a neat line in-field, and laced with his crucial link-up with left winger Jordan Rhoden in the middle of the park.

The latter used his pace to take play close to the line before being felled. However, the support arrived in numbers and, playing simple, effective rugby, Ignatians played the ball sweetly through the hands before Lucas Yoxall finished off down the far right flank.

On a final note, we would like to thank Harry Masini for his sterling contributions, which have also spanned the Hampstead (two tries), Old Streetonians (one try) and Old Priorians games, and we wish him every success in his final year at Nottingham University.

Head coach Jack Wilson, for the main, was satisfied with his side’s display. He said: “The first 40 minutes was probably the best we have played all season, and our line speed, defence and set piece all shoe through. Our exit strategy, too, was much better.

“I was a bit worried in the third quarter when Datchworth came at us strongly. However, once we weathered Datchworth’s purple patch and cut down the errors, we were clinical and the tries started to flow.”

Ignatians complete their January round of league games with an away trip to Grasshoppers on Saturday when the club plans to run a coach to the game.

Squad: Tom Buckland, Dan Birbeck (Jordan Rhoden 50), Carl Asare-Anderson, Dan Redding (Ethan Robinson 55), Harry Masini Johnny Dixon, Anzl Swartz, Sam Bucknall, Alex McCall (Jake Baker 50), Luke Stack, Euan Renny, Liam Horn, Lucas Yoxall, Ben Mills (cpt), Frank Antwi.
Try scorers: Ben Mills (3), Lucas Yoxall (2) and Carl Asare-Anderson.
Penalties: Dan Redding (2).
Conversions (3): Dan Redding, Tom Buckland, Carl Asare-Anderson.
MOM: Ben Mills