2nd XV
Matches
Sat 17 Nov 2018
Enfield Ignatians 3rd XV
12
12
Finsbury Park RFC
2nd XV
Tries: T Baines (2)Conversions: J Ledger
Times Are A Changing

Times Are A Changing

Alex Thomas21 Nov 2018 - 21:46
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https://www.finsburyparkrfc.co

by Alex Thomas

For those not wishing to understand any of the build up to this match, please skip straight to the page break ‘ ------ ‘ and the words Kick Off. For those wanting the full story, please enjoy the following :
12-Nov-18, 11:09 : “Heads up – I can’t drive this weekend”. Unbeknownst to this prop, this was a message that would ultimately write off the majority of his Saturday, thanks in no small part to his former housemate, 2nd XV captain, and Players Welfare Officer Nick Tewson.
13-Nov-18, 21:01 : “I’m giving you the kit, water bottles and physio bag, in front of these here witness’, so you can be in control and prepared for the weekend, do you accept?”
“Yes”
(*Important to note at this juncture - Nick has made a habit of losing things in the past: mouth-guards, discount cards to the Faltering Fullback [of which his girlfriend is in possession of 2], points from the tee… need I go on)
How hard can this be. Assistant-Vice-Captain Tom Kemp and Deputy-Assistant-Vice-Captain James Pattison present as witness’. Things were still on track for a weekend run around.
16-Nov-18, 22:21 : “Alrigh’ mayte. Gonna’ wanda darn to Guil’ford tomorra mornin’ ta buy me a new car”
“Is this your solution for me not driving to the game, oh wise, antipodean leader of men?”
“I got me the wonga so why no’? Pickin’ ‘er up at 10am so be with you 11 so we got ourselves loadsa time”
17-Nov-18, 02:25 : “Good luck later today lads, please smash them arrogant b**t**ds tmw lads. Gutted I can’t be there”. An inspirational battle cry was clubbed against Eamon Gallagher’s phone. Formerly of Enfield, Eamon’s legendary hot-pants made their way from Donkey Lane to Downhills Park some years ago now, but he for one clearly could not wait to get one over his old allies. He didn’t care quite enough to cancel his plans and actually put on a shirt for his second appearance of the season and give the green and gold a contestable front row… but there was some thought there.
17-Nov-18, 07:00 : The day was beautiful. Blue skies, a crisp freshness in the air. I lay there, reminiscing about the last time a Finsbury Park had made their way to Donkey Lane. It was January 2016. A similarly brisk and clear wintery morning. An aging Jon Dixon filing in alongside Dan Brett at second row. Paul Baker still moonlighting as a centre. Gaz Chapman (prior to being a coach extraordinaire) was an injury prone 7 who didn’t last an entire game, not for the first or last time in his Finsbury career. The only survivors of that day / the only survivors who didn’t follow their colleagues into selection contention for the 1st XV were a certain nostalgic prop; a scraggly 6-come-2 Johnny Musson whos notable contribution to the game was an on-running Legolas and Gimli style second half battle for the number of rucks made against our blonde-bombshell Communications Officer Sam Parkes; and an injured South African winger by the name of Mike Godfrey could be seen necking Strongbows on the far touch-line to avoid being given the task of running the line. The Fins’ triumphed 34-17 that day and went on to have an undefeated season. It is safe to say I was feeling optimistic.
17-Nov-18, 09:26 : “eta?”
“Will get to Guildford at 10. Will be 40-60 mins”.
17-Nov-18, 10:31 : “looking at being here 11ish?”
“Maybe slightly later. Just doing paperwork”
17-Nov-18, 12:08 : Nick arrives at Alex’s house. We can’t leave just yet though… Nick needs a bathroom break. There is 2 hours 22 minutes till kick-off. Enfield RFC is 57 mins away by google maps, but there’s traffic… 33% float should surely be ample to get us there an hour before kick-off.
17-Nov-18, 12:31 : Nick announces we need to go via his house to pick up his personal kit that he left at home, thereby adding an additional 30 minutes onto our journey. Bums are getting slightly squeakier.
17-Nov-18, 13:15 : Arrival at Casa de Tewson. “Al, I’m starving. Can you run to the shop while I grab my kit and get me some lunch, can’t play on an empty stomach” … you’ve got to be kidding me. “Oh, and by the way, we are going via. Downhills to pick up the waterbottles, kit and physio bag, I’ve left them there.” “Oh also by the way, please have you got my new key to the clubhouse you got cut for me kindly after I gave my own one away”.
Good job at least one of the ‘2s Leadership Group’ has their sh*t together.
17-Nov-18, 13:59 : Arrival at Downhills. Collect kit. Back in car. 31 minutes till kick off. Destination 34 minutes away…
17-Nov-18, 14:29 : “Where are you guys? We’ve been told if our kit isn’t here within 5 minutes we will have to forfeit the match”. The call from Deputy Assistant Vice Captain James Pattison.
The first time I’d ever heard a match may be called due to lack of away team kit. Frankly, this farce had turned into an embarrassment. ‘Luckily’, relatively speaking, we were now turning a corner past a very attractive Toby Carvery. Perhaps this day was salvageable if Enfield had upped their partnership game since last 2016.
17-Nov-18, 14:32 : Kit delivered, starting XV take to the field, led by DAVC JP (C.) Supported by AVC (acting Vice Captain) Graham Rutherford, showing the sort of leadership and time management qualities that could really see a man go far in the 2s Leadership Group. It was about now the devastating news was broken by the opposition coach, “don’t bother getting changed lads, you already have 3 subs, so we’re only letting you guys have three too”. I’m paraphrasing, and it turns out that league rules allow us to have up to 5, more with opposition agreement. Reminder – Fred Bromley, if you’re reading this, please can you send me over a copy of the merit league rules. Thanks. None the less, by day was over, time to walk up and down the side lines, occasionally encroaching onto the pitch, to shout words of encouragement to my teammates, with the odd word of advice to the games officiator.
-------
Kick Off.
Attacking with their backs to the sun, the game started positively for the Fins. Camped inside the Enfield 22 early signs were good for the 2s who had conceded soft early tries in a number of games so far this season to the detriment of our league position. Some positive carries by Alex Cotton and Tom Baines were securing decent ground. Some picking and going from Josh Ledger was securing more ground. Some ‘rhino’ ball was securing more ground. We were inching forward, but that was the problem. We were making inches rather than hard yards. We were being sucked into Enfield’s game rather than playing our own expansive style. The Enfield defence was up and meeting our attack before the ball had even left the back of the ruck. Far be it from me to question the referee’s grasp of the off-side rule; (granted, it’s a lesser known law of the game, and definitely hadn’t been spoken about at great length the previous Saturday as England succumbed to a late All Blacks try…). Despite this, the ball was sticking to forward hands and by keeping it time was elapsing and we were tiring out the much bigger Ignations pack. It was only a matter of time before things clicked, the ball would spread and we’d run home some points.
Or so I thought.
In what felt like one of the first times the pitch opened up during the match, there was an (I want to say uncharacteristic…) knock on from the back line. A scrum was awarded to Ignations, uncontested as it was, the ball found its way to their 10 who cleared from 22 to deep inside Finsbury’s 22, and a chasing Mike Godfrey had to hack the ball into touch to cease the advancement of the opposition winger and fullback, who made a suspiciously large amount of ground for ones adhering to the aforementioned off-side laws. The resulting line-out lead to some intense Ignations pressure, and after two penalties conceded in quick succession, one of the Enfield Goliaths stumbled their way over the line. A tidy conversion and 26 minutes in saw Finsbury 7-0 down, against the run of play would be a heinous understatement.
Kick-off received, and it was clear there was a change afoot. Ignations’ tails were up. It was time for the Finsbury Park defence to show their mettle, and show it they did. To a man Finsbury were smaller than their opposite numbers, but that made no difference in the breakdown. It meant tackles were lower, harder and meaner; and the intensity the Park was showing was a joy to behold. Special mention to Jack Atkinson and Will Monk who were throwing themselves into everything they could. It gave Jack a dead leg and forced him off, and Monkey a blow to both back and head. Up step Danny Griffiths and Graham Rutherford. There was some benefit of having 6 back row on the pitch, and that was tenacity in D. Unsurprisingly however, this tenacity did sometimes spill over into a disregard for both law and instruction from referee. Despite holding Enfield in their half, defending the half way like our try line, discipline was costing the Fins. Every time a ball was won back, a silly mistake was gifting the opposition a scrum or a penalty to regain possession. This lack of discipline cost us again in a very similar fashion to the 26th minute in the 38th when on the 3rd crash attempt, Enfield made it over the line, this time unconverted. Bringing the score to Enfield 12 – 0 Finsbury.
The half wasn’t to end soon (we had to wait another 9 minutes for that). The younger Finsbury’s fitness was starting to show. They could’ve run all day, and after a powerful carry from Alex Cotton, and another from Rich Sheridan, Josh played a delightful pop to a charging Tom Baines to carve a delightful line through the Enfield back-line to place the ball down. That’s more like it Fins!
The kick was missed by Josh, a surly drop-kick upon learning that the club had no tee. Between our Captain (10) our stand in Captain (wants to play 10), and previous kicker (Josh), it hadn’t occurred to anyone to bring one, or so we thought. Up step Benjamin Button, who had one in the changing room, if only he’d remembered to bring it pitch side. Perhaps the ageless back-row, who isn’t getting any older, thinks that his growing youth may grant him place in the backs? Regardless, good job Tom Kemp retrieved the tee when he did, as they may well have saved the 2s some valuable points come the end of the season. It’s important to remain positive in these instances rather than slating Kempy for his lack of organisation in not bringing the tee out with him when he came, possibly resulting in a conversion and a game won, he saved a draw. Back to the point, the whistle went soon after and it was in for half time : Enfield 12 – 5 Finsbury.
The second half resumed where the first ended, with intense Finsbury pressure. This time however, the ball was being spread, and spread successfully. Some beautiful interplay between Josh, James and Rich at 9, 10 and 12 was seeing the ball spread to debutant power-house Jonny Gowing, and pace merchant Toby Birkett. This was the Finsbury people had lined to the touchlines of North London to see. This was sexy rugby. Despite the improvement in style though, there was no improvement in score line. Still we were maintaining our place in the Enfield half, but not capitalising on said territory. The improved style did cause some scares though. A high ball over the top from deep inside the Enfield half would have cost a try if it wasn’t for the brilliance of Ross Wilson and Toby, getting back to recover in a time I am not ashamed to say I wouldn’t have matched. The screw was slowly being turned though, and on 65 minutes, the break through. In a near carbon copy of the Fins’ opening try, the newly discovered, young at heart / old by face Tom Baines careened through the helpless Ignations defence to score under the post. Up step Ledger, this time tee in hand, to level the score at 12 all.
More pressure from the Fins. Debutant Gowing made it from inside his 22 to deep inside the opposition final third before having “the ball knocked out from under his arm by their really short winger”. James Austin rather than taking a quick penalty and scoring as he’d done to win a game in the closing stages away at St Albans last season, decided to run to the corner. Hard work from Jake Painter, Vincent Hiribarren and Rich Jameson was ensuring ball was always secure and creating a platform to play off. But time was slipping away. The sun was setting. No number of Johnny Musson tackles and turn overs returning the ball to his side would buy enough chances seemingly. The barked orders of the commanding stand in skipper JP were effective in creating style, but not points. Some days the win just doesn’t come.
The full time whistle blew, closing the game at 12-12. An unfortunate day which started so brightly, but definitely an improvement on past weeks. Next up for the Fins is Barnet on the 1st December. If they play like they did today, I will be very surprised if they do not bring home the win.

Match details

Match date

Sat 17 Nov 2018

Kickoff

14:30

Meet time

13:15

Instructions

If taking the train, meet at Finsbury Park at 12.15pm. It will take about an hour to get to the ground from Finsbury Park.

If driving, please let me know. Aim to arrive at the ground by 1.15pm
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Main Sponsor  - The Faltering Fullback
Casualwear sponsor - The Naturalist
Post-game pub - The Salisbury Hotel