1XV
Matches
Sat 16 Nov 2019  ·  London 3 South West
Weybridge Vandals RFC
1XV
26
5
Trojans
Match Report - LSW3 - Vandals v Trojans

Match Report - LSW3 - Vandals v Trojans

Keith Crabb19 Nov 2019 - 20:21
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Vandals halt the Trojan Horse....Report By John Farrow

London SW 3 - Weybridge Vandals 26 pts - Trojans 5 pts.

It took a considerable period of the game for Vandals to breakdown stubborn resistance from their opponents, but once they had scored their 3rd try, Vandals always looked the likely winners and they duly scored a bonus point try, reducing the Trojan horse to a canter rather than a gallop.

Lying towards the relegation zone Trojans were determined to produce a performance which belied their lowly position and for much of the early part of proceedings they looked the more likely team to open the scoring their number 8 made a dangerous break from the kick off and despite fluffing a penalty chance. Trojans began to attack from all areas of the pitch, but Vandals defence held firm, and when the scrum won the first set piece the back line immediately threatened with Lloyd Pullen making the firsts of his penetrating brakes. His partnership with centre Harry Reed played a pivotal role in Vandals eventual victory, as did the powerful running of winger Greg Lynch and the jinking running of full back George Bolster, who once again showed his evasive skills and was a constant threat whenever the opportunity arose.
It was he who scored Vandals first try after Vandals forwards had gone through several phases and enabled Pullen to breakthrough and then moved the ball wide from Bolster to crash over. Unperturbed Trojans were soon back on the attack but a loose pass was seized on by Lynch who kicked ahead Trojans fielded but were turned over by Vandals rampaging forwards who produced quality bull for fly half Tom Bolger, enjoying another good game, to drive over for Vandals second try which scrum half Dan Wellden converted to give his side at 12 point cushion and lead they held on to until half time despite Trojans intense pressure in the minutes leading up to the interval.

Both sides came out fighting on the resumption with Vandals perhaps one score from victory and the Trojans opening their account to get right back into the game. Vandals appeared the more threatening initially encamping Trojans 22, but a turnover to the visitors saw their left wing sprinting virtually the full length of the pitch for a superb individual try. Pullen and winger Ollie Day who had replaced Steve Harrison at half time, attacked strongly for Vandals in the aftermath Trojans try comma and hooker Lewis Razey was turning the screw in the set scrums when in crucial strikes against the head. A prominent back row of Joshua Carter, Darren Lockyer and Karl Hoade were winning vital second phase ball and the latter then stole a line out ball to set up Vandals 3rd try, with Pullen penetrating again, before offloading to supporting scrum half Dan Wellden who scampered over for the try which he himself converted.

With Vandals now leading by 19 points to 5, coach Damien Porter who rang the changes to give all bench players game time, including long serving club man Wayne Mason for young prop Brad Melvin, now introduced raw recruit James Wetherall who more than held his own in his first team debut. Having shown plenty of spirit to reduce the arrears with their fine score shortly after half time Trojans continued to show similar commitment in the final quarter of the game, but failing to control the ball at the breakdown was proving their Achilles heel and Vandals wrapped up the game when Bolger and Lynch combined as they had done the previous week to score another great try, Bolger's cross kick being caught quite superbly by Lynch who raced away to score which Wellden duly converted to give Vandals another hugely satisfying success and one which will give them a massive boost for their crunch clash against joint leaders Old Tiffinian’s on Saturday 23rd of November and Reeds Weybridge, Saturday 14th of December.

Report By John Farrow

Match details

Match date

Sat 16 Nov 2019

Kickoff

14:30

Competition

London 3 South West

League position

4
Weybridge Vandals
9
Trojans
Team overview
Further reading

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