Houstoun try double not enough for CS

by ADRIAN HOUSTOUN

This was the first London Premier league fixture after las week’s break for international fixtures. It was also the first fixture for CS Stags newly appointed head coach Warren Abrahams. Two second half tries from CS full back James Houstoun were not enough to rescue CS with Tunbridge Wells dominant pack proving key. However, the new head coach saw enough fighting spirit, as the team recovered from 17-3 down, to contest the result strongly during the final stages, and enough talent on display to enable him to expect to return CS Stags to winning ways.
For the first half CS were playing up the slope and into the wind, and after the home team kicked off CS did well to take play into the opposition half. On 4 minutes they were awarded a penalty which centre Tom Hodgson stroked through the centre of the posts from 24 metres 0 – 3. After a further fifteen minutes, Tunbridge Wells decided after receiving their second penalty to also go for the three points which they duly gained. 3-3. The CS backs had some slick promising moves that did not quite result in scores that arguably they deserved, and then on half an hour CS conceded a try that had more to do with bad luck than a skilful move by the opposition. Tunbridge attempted a speculative drop goal. It was well off target and it looked like CS would restart with a 22 metre drop out. However, the attempted drop goal had unbeknown to the CS full back ricocheted off a CS player. The game therefore re started with an attacking Tunbridge five metre scrum, from the base of which the Tunbridge no 8 Nick Doherty picked up and dived over the line un-opposed. 3 – 10. With half time in sight the Tunbridge Wells blind side flanker broke a couple of tackles, and when faced with a third tackler found his centre George Montgomery beside him to take the scoring pass 3 – 17. The first half was now comfortably into injury time. The CS left wing Zac Stamp was fed with the line beckoning from which he usually scores but was stopped by a high tackle. With virtually the last play of the half full back James Houstoun entered the line on the far left, and squeezed over to score in the corner. The conversion hit the post. 17-8 was therefore the half time score. CS needed to start the second half as they finished the first and immediately, they certainly had an excellent opportunity down the right wing. However, when Tunbridge turned over the ball they kicked the ball to the other end. Having won a line out, the Tunbridge pack drove play all the way to the line for open side flanker Dave Allen to score. 24-8. With plenty of time left, and playing down the slope, CS created much the mirror image of their first score i.e. Tom Hodgson feeding JamesHoustoun, and the later crossing the line and the former converting 24 – 15. When CS were awarded a penalty, instead of kicking for the cornerTom Hodgson bagged the three points and with them the losing bonus point.
Next week CS are home to Shelford which is a very important match for both clubs. Kick-off is 14.30.