Tight Game ...

Match Report 04 Nov 17.

Saints Super 2’s squander great start in game of two halves.

Saints made the long trip into London for a clash with Hackney RFC. Unfortunately travelling with only 13 players due to call ups to the 1’s and other commitments. Thanks to Mike S. for doing some tree shaking of the Uni boys and Sid for falling from said tree.

With no time to spare after the long slow trip in to London everyone got changed and quickly worked hastily through our warm up.

Under league rules Hackney were required to match our diminished numbers and they were given the choice on how the 13 man line up was to look, regarding numbers in the scrum etc. They elected to play with a six man pack which we had to match and it hinted to us they would want to play a wide game.

We cobbled together the shape of our 13 man line-up, shoe horned our two UH players Mike S and Sid, both forwards, into a unlikely but effective centre partnership. Mike S was not only playing centre (his first choice position being hooker) but he was also our main line out jumper. Jumping! I should really say being lifted, there wasn’t much jumping going on. First time in all my years I have thrown to a jumper who is slightly more shall we say “vertically challenged” than I am! But it was effective, much to our own amazement winning all our own ball and even disrupting a few on the opposition throw. Not bad on his first ever go at “jumping”!

St Albans received the kick off, well kind of as it didn’t travel the requisite 10m and we had the first 6-man scrum of the match. Cleanly won in a pretty even scrum but some overzealous hooking from myself sent it shooting out past George at no. 8.

For the next 30 mins Saints fell into a pattern of big carries, quick rucking and some sublime offloads. Best period of rugby I have been involved in a long time. Every single one of the 13 saints players on the pitch carried hard beating men or breaking tackles in that first 30mins.

The first try was scored by Captain Scott “Big Hand Off” Mineikis following some great hands from Sean W. getting quick ball out to him to present a big man vs little man mismatch out wide, only going to be one winner there. Conversion narrowly missed. 0-5

The second try came when Mike “Utility” Scanlan barrelled over to touch down, conversion added 0-12. Anything this young man can’t do?

Hackney then profited from a Saints mistake to pull one back to make it 7-12.

After a regroup behind the posts and a bit of a breather the saints continued where they left off.

Following deep cutting runs from Sid, Duncan, Gregor and Rob and excellent distribution from Stilly and George T to put us in the hackney 22 and with Stilly spoilt for choice with options both sides from a quick ruck he picked out the “Belfast Poet “ Harry T who delicately brushed aside two would be tacklers to score close to the posts. Conversion added. 7-19

Following yet another restart that did not travel 10m a solid centre spot scrum followed up by some good inter-play between the backs, forwards and forwards playing in the backs mixing hard lines and deft passing saw us again in an attacking position in the Hackneys 22. So the ball gets to Scott “Big Hand Off” M and he dishes out one of the best hand offs I have ever seen, literally knocked the spit and gumshield out of the poor guys mouth, lifting him off his feet by the chin before tossing him aside. The image of the green gumshield tumbling through the air trailing spittle like a scene from Rocky is something I will never forget! All perfectly legal, straight arm and open palm according to the ref. This was all part of the build up to Mike “Utility” S’s second try which he took well from a standing start breaking the first up tackle to dot down under the posts which was converted to give 26-7.

The last 10 minutes of the first half was a bit back and forth with some great last man defence from Gregor in particular to keep the score as it was until.

Big positives from the first half were the hard running offloading style we played and minimal penalty count.

It really was a game of two very different halves.

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I will keep this part of the report short, Hackney really upped their game and during a purple patch in the first 15 mins of the second half scored two tries and a penalty leaving them narrowly trailing saints 21-26.

The effective offload game that worked so well in the first half was no longer working and saints coughed a good few turnovers by giving 50/50 balls.

Saints did manage a few forays into attacking positions and tried to change up the point of attack leading to Sean W. gathering a low awkward ball and forcing his way over for a try, with a missed conversion leaving the score at 31-21.

It was then that a tiring s in terms of back chat to the referee (including myself and a few others you would not normally hear chipping in).

In the dying minutes saints had a big overlap down a decent blindside but were unfortunate that in trying to force the pass to set saints away it was intercepted and yielded a final score for Hackney to finish the game at 40-31.

In that second half saints accuracy and intensity dropped. Discipline erred and fitness told when playing effectively 13 vs 17.

All being told even with the loss, I was proud to be part of the Saints Super 2’s 13 man effort on Saturday, a sentiment also echoed by Scott.

Man of the match went to Gregor for his efforts in defence, making telling tackles and at times without wingers to help covering the wide Hackney pitch at full back. George T. and Mike “Utility” Scanlan deserve an honourable mention here two.

I will reiterate what was said last week that we need better turnout to away games in particular than we had on Saturday which was proof that turning up with any less than a full squad makes it far tougher task to get a result.

Maybe we can get Ron to referee the return leg!

B.O’C.