Loss to South Oxhey

This week we made the predictably long trek to South Oxhey. Meeting 2 ¼ hours before kick off, that left 1¼ to get there, but unfortunately with waiting around a bit, a full up M11 and a fair old trek the last people ran out onto the pitch with 10 minutes to go. Not ideal!

We won the toss, and chose the end, South Oxhey (SOs) electing to receive. We had our customary huddle, got ready, kicked off with a slightly reorganised line due to a player not being able to make it late in the day. A superb start was made after a knock on by a SO player who got hurt in the process, and after a scrum and ruck Aaron scored next to the posts. Unfortunately the referee was unsighted and didn’t give it, although extremely clear after 2 SO players departed the ruck. Unfortunately, SO then played from their 22 and using their backs very effectively, supported by their forwards, and after 3 phases of play scored at the other, unfortunately our, end of the pitch.

This led to Stortford playing less organised, albeit full effort and commitment rugby, however other than a couple of individual moments of which the best next chance was me running onto a ball that popped out the side of a ruck, running to the corner, but just being bundled into touch on this line, which admittedly came about more from luck than good team play. SO’s continued to play good hard rugby with organised forwards, and hard running backs which we did not have a particularly good answer today. Injuries in the first half included Rob Neal, who unfortunately had to go off with an eye injury, leading to Craig Brough filling in at 2nd row, and with effectively 1 jumper in the line out we struggled to compete in this usually dominant area.

The second half our aim was to hold onto the ball, and to try to create phases of play, something that we managed on only 1 or 2 occasions. Both of these came within a hairs breath of scoring, but were denied due to a decent defending and slightly lacking in execution by us. Half way through this half we scored our only points, a drop goal by me, stupidly taken immediately after a penalty I should have just asked Lippi to kick. At least I have now scored this season – usually taking until the last game! Clarkey had a great moment jumping on a loose ball and running up the middle of the pitch, stepping inside and through several of their players until he chipped through, only to be deliberately tripped by their player. Our poor luck continued with a new prop/hooker (Ollie) injuring his shoulder, and so the scrums going uncontested. Mark Rogers went off dazed, and was generously replaced by their flanker whose contribution was to give away a penalty for being 5 metres offside at a scrum, and drop the ball in a good attacking position.

The final score was 3-39 to SO, fairly reflecting the game. There were a few new players in the team, so well done to all of you, particularly Ollie, Tom and James respectively at prop, centre and 8. Miles Fricker played as well as you can entirely defensively on the line for 50 minutes, a well worth journey from Leicester!

Man of the match went to Ian Cairns, fresh from his summer of triathlons, who spoilt a lot of their ball, and generally made himself a pain to the SO team. Unfortunately with Lippi in the changing room I could not escape being Dick of the Day, a hugely daring move from our try line that would have included intricate interpassing, support from the scrum half, flanker, inside centre, and wing and a glorious pitch length try. Instead I dropped it and gathered it just in time to prevent an extremely embarrassing try. Fair cop…

Chris