No Delight under the Lights

A break in the league saw Whits visit local CR2 rivals Mid Whits in the Surrey Shield Semifinal under floodlights on a cool Wednesday evening. With a pitch with similar attributes of a postage stamp and the Australian Cricket teams, secret weapon led to what would turn out to be a brutal 80 minutes of grassroots rugby.

Just like the Old Wimbledonians game only 4 days the Whits started with a furious pace leaving the host in the state of shell shock. Young starlet Luca Criscuolo taking the ball head-on into the Mids defence, Whits just meters from the line failed to score as Mids turned the ball over at a crucial point five meters from their line which was going to be a feature of the night. Minutes later the counter-attack by the opponents lead to a clever cross-field kick catching out a very narrow whits defence for an against the run of play seven points.

Straight from the kickoff, Whits ventured back into the hosts half and with Hooker, Chris hall started to make inroads into the mids defence. Jonathan Mount returning at eight after his week at the Priory came crashing through of the shoulder of flyhalf Q to break the game line. The grouchy nine Clark fizzed the quick ball to James Schad who elbowed his way through to score under the posts, Clark reached for his sand wedge and converted. 7-7

At this point, the game was ebbing and flowing from end to end with both teams using their very different styles to great use. Mids picked and goed with regularity bring ferocity and physicality to every phase whilst Whits spread the pill with speed and accuracy. A penalty followed from a high tackle and Whits took the lead .10-7.

With thirty minutes gone both teams were starting to feel the effects of amateur rugby being played on an evening. WHits now on the Mids twenty two meter line stole the lineout as under the weather Skipper Tom Squits Hipsy soared into the night sky taking the ball like a bat searching for moths using its built-in sonar. Hipsy dropped the ball to Clarke who intern gave to Keanie, a little dummy and delicate pop found Mount who bashed his way through under the post for another 7 points after Clark converted once more. 17-10.

The foot came off the pedal and Mids pounced as a series of petulant penalties were awarded to the hosts. The Mids standoff was very mature in age and skills and was not missing anything as he slotted home 6 points in a few minutes before the half to make it a one-point game at the half. 17-16.

When the second half had started the crowd were in full voice as a large number of Ford XR2 enthusiasts had arrived to cheer on the home and create a 16th man for the hosts. The breakdown was now becoming a free for all with both piling in from all directions to pilfer each other's ball. Mids using their west country style scored first as their tactic paid off on the blind side going down the slope as the Mids eight went over the whitewash for the first score of the half and take them back into the lead. 23-17.

All season Whits have managed to find a way back from adversity and this looked like it would be no different as they carried on chasing this enthralling cup tie. WIth every attack Mids repelled with great vigour, chance after chance went begging again and again, and once again Mids scored when seeming to be under pressure almost killing of Whits. A penalty to Mids followed leaving whits to chase 14 points in the last eight minutes.

Coach Young made his changes bringing on Smith and Hoskin into the pack hoping to bring some life back into the team Whits pressed chasing the game, with Jim Ryan using his expanding frame to great use, when Clark got the slow ball he passed to bladderless backrower Petshci who took the ball up for the umpteenth time. Clark saw a gap from the breakdown and sniped into give Whits a chance of taking it to extra time but the conversion was missed and nine points required was too much for the Jazz men.

The Whits still chasing, never giving up played well over the eighty minutes as Mids gave penalty after penalty in their twenty-two but none were adjudicated to warrant further actions. Finally, a chance again went begging in the far corner but the game was won and the better team won a hard-fought contest. Whits winning run comes to an end to the same team that it had started with back in the first week in January.

All eyes now tune back to the league for an away game to Old Amplifordians where 1 point gained by Whits or dropped by Mids will see them officially named as Surrey 1 League champions.