Tough game but a great result

After a massive win by the development team the seeded squad knew they had a very hard act to follow. They also saw the opposition and realised this game was not going to be the same score line as the previous one, especially as we have a weakened squad due to injuries and players not available it was going to be tough and the only way to win this game was to win it as a team. That was my simple message at the start of the game and it was my message at half time too. The boys listened and played well.

The first half was a tough half, again Farnborough A's were a big squad and I am not sure what they feed them up there but we could do with some of it! Farnborough used their big lads well and time after time they hit us hard but time after time we tackled well and our line speed was much better than games before. It was a tough first half and unfortunately Dylan received a big tackle and then ended up at the bottom of a ruck but he was clearly hurt so we were able to get the attention of the ref who stopped the game so Dylan could get attention. Luckily Dylan was back up on his feet within a few minutes but had clearly had a blow to the head so was taken off and now will be resting for a few weeks.

The first half remained at deadlock when the half time whistle was blown but some great work from Tyler and Joseph in 2nd row and again another storming first half by Matt B and Christian who had to come off earlier with an injury to his leg. To be honest our backs played better than theirs but their forwards were big lads and hit our lads hard in the breakdown as well in the scrum however at half time it was 0-0 and all to play for in the second half.

We knew we had to make all our tackles and improve our passing and most of all play as a team.
Straight away with 2 minutes gone into the second half Oscar made a fantastic run handing off players like they were rag dolls to score between the posts. Matt B obliged by putting the ball between the posts to make it 0-7 with 3 minutes gone in the second half.
With that try in the bag the boys stepped up the tempo and as predicted the bigger players of the opposition started to slow down and now we started to play through the hands and our forwards started to really work on their rucking to win some of the ball.
2 minutes later Christian made a great break in his own half to out pace and dodge tackle after tackle to get a well earned try right between the posts for once again Matt B was happy to slot over for another 2 points. 5 minutes in Trojans were leading by 14 points.
A few times our ball was nearly intercepted due to loop passing instead of the direct pass however we got away with it and we started really playing well and made some great breaks but the Farnborough defence was good and we could not break their defence. Farnborough were very good at the breakdown and their jackleing was the best I have seen all season. Obviously a well drilled squad at the breakdown and definitely something we could learn from them.
However we continued with the good tackling and good running lines from both forwards and backs. We were starting to work really well together and for each other. Matt B made a great run down the wing and I think he was happy when he got tackled as he was starting to run out of gas and not surprising though, always putting in 120% and always one of the first up for the first tackle, He was able to offload the ball and it made its way forward and down the line to end up in Oscars hand (singular not plural) and he was able to finish it off over the line for which Josh stepped up and was able to convert. Today the rest of the team were joining Matt B and all put in a great shift in the office and they were rewarded by a 21 point win against a well drilled large side who were dominate in the breakdown and in the scrums but the team ethos and mentality by the Trojans boys out weighed it all and was one of the best performances of the season by far.
We are please to say the Dylan is doing well and we look forward to seeing back at training soon.

a good day in the office by the entire squad and it shows what a great squad of boys we have and what talent and depth we have in our squad. I look forward to more games in 2016 but after two full match reports and 3 hours on Pitchero and dealing Hants RFU and such like I'm done for 2015 and roll on the paintball next week to end 2015 off in a splat and a few bruises I am sure!

Final Score
Farnborough A's 0 Trojans Seeded 21

Try scorers
Oscar x 2
Christian x 1

Conversions
Matt B x 2
Josh x 1

Team
Louis
Aaron
Daniel
Tyler
Joseph
Linton
Mike R
Fin H
Ben P
Matt B
Aubrey
Christian
Fin W
Dylan
Oscar
Josh
Oliie J
Ollie C