Stortford 4's continue to improve and earn another win!

This Saturday we welcomed a perfect sunny day and Saracens Amateurs 2s to Stortford. Unfortunately for SAs they fell short of players and appeared with only 12 players whilst we had a full complement despite the usual Saturday morning last minute changes.

After being very well warmed up by our coach Rob Cook, we won the toss and kicked off. Once again my Alzheimer's kicks in and I cannot remember who scored tries in what order, but partly due to Saracens having a significant shortage of players, whilst we were managing to play well to our strengths, winning line out balls, all our scrums (funnily enough), and after a couple of phases moving the ball out in the backs.

Several players played very well, Kyle Brough starting at full back had a very safe game with strong counter running; his father Craig scared SA’s on a few occasions as his bulk trundled at high velocity towards the tryline crossing on 2 occasions and setting up 1 or 2 more. Clarkey (as much as this pains me) scored 2 good tries and converted 2 (from 6). Gus had a great game stopping their inside centre, scoring too but then firmly told me in no uncertain terms to stop making him run around as much! Gary Price and Chris James completed the tries tally, with George MG adding a conversion. Henry is welcomed back to rugby, and celebrated by scoring a good wingers try up the tryline taking a ball popped up from Steve Smith who also had a very solid game.

This was all made possible by a superb pack performance. The front row all caused havoc in the loose and provided a great platform in the rucks, mauls and line outs. Excellent work by the engine room as usual from Rob and Aaron, and Mark Beckett had a great game, with the exception of the look on his face breaking clean from a ruck with the ball and realising he had about 40 metres to go. He didn’t make it… Unfortunately like me in a similar situation. I also had the dubious honour of the world worst kick, that went a long way, but straight up, landing about 3 metres sideways from me… fortunately even this was out shone by Rob Neal who in a moment of white line fever reached for the line following a series of rucks towards the SA line reached heroically towards the line with outstretched arm… to drop it a few inches above the line. We only had a 5 man overlap to his left!

All in all though, this was a really good performance. Coaching is showing a big change in the way we play, so if you can, please make it to training (7-8.30 Thursday evenings), and 2 of the Saracens players said we were a very strong team, not a usual event. All this is of course put into perspective by Saracens lack of players, and I would like to thank them for a very well natured game and good sportsmanship. Finally a mention for Sullivan, being the best dude ever to run water and kicking tees on and off the pitch!
Next week South Oxhey away.. A tough one!

Chris.