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2nd XV 24 v 31 U.C.S. Old Boys RFC 2nd xv - Away League on 1 Oct 2016

Published on Tuesday, 4 October 2016

As is the plan this season the 2XV were happy to travel away with a few changes in personnel as players moved up to the 1XV and helped them deliver a superb win.

Always a tricky away day to North London, availability can sometimes be impacted but not with this bunch of Hogs who are keen to play together and enjoy their Saturdays out on the pitch. After two wins and an heroic 1 point defeat in the first games of the season the team was optimistic, but not complacent as the usual pre-game scenarios were played out

Someone didn’t have socks, someone was late and someone even managed to go to completely the wrong club (but more on that to follow). UCS were always going to be a difficult proposition at home and as the game started their organisation was evident as they put the Hitchin line under pressure, they had also done their homework on the Hitchin team and targeted their talisman early on. Sad to see in what looks like a career ending injury Richard Lucas was carried from the pitch after only 5minutes. The team could be forgiven for letting their heads drop as they reorganised and UCS scored, due to the injury, late guy and the university student who can’t read a sat nav Hitchin were at a bare 15 early on.

But Ed Bellamy arrived, to the delight of the Hitchin side and normal service was resumed once he had kitted up at the side of the pitch and, sockless, got straight into action. The first half didn’t go to plan for the Hogs and the scores didn’t reflect the quality of play, 19 un-answered points that had as much to do with the UCS attack and Hitchin defence as it did with the referee’s application of the laws. Far too many penalties and decisions against Hitchin and they had to adapt quickly.

Although 19-0 down at half time Hitchin looked the better team, a back line brimming with pace and skill but just an inability to burst into life, Alfie Burkett was controlling things well but the spark just wasn’t igniting and far too many opportunities were wasted. Uncontested scrums weren’t helping keep the flow and it would take something different to re-focus Hitchin, Rob Shaw was delivering another irresistible performance and owning the lineout……a player to watch !

Enter Bailey Burton, the said university student who can’t read a sat nav!......... after the first turned up at some random club in Sth London (since when do we play in Sth London) he made the 90mins trip to the right ground just in time for the second period. He was on and the impact was immediate.

Hitchin stopped giving away stupid penalties at the breakdown, the skilful Simo, Joff and Benucci trio started doing all their graft around the fringes enabling the backs to actually get some ball on the front foot, it wasn’t long till Alfie took advantage and crossed the white line to score (being careful not to cross the next white line and run out of play…….I mean who would do that!)

Will Clifford and the rest of the back line were starting to really unsettle the UCS boys, Matt Houlden again showing his superb pace on many a drive into the opposition half……………….as should be the case all the hard work in the forwards was rewarded with scores by the backs. First ‘Coopster’ with a well worked team try then Matt with sheer pace and a quite over the top dive for the line!

But mistakes were costly and UCS still had a couple of scores in them, both from Hitchin errors which disappointed individual players……but they made amends, the Ox scoring a lovely try with minutes to go.

7 points down and in the ascendancy it just seemed like a matter of time, an Akrill run…..one on one with the trembling fullback looked all the world like a score……but the 15 stood his ground and the opportunity was missed. The ‘better Elleston’ was showing that his first few games were no fluke as he dominated men twice his age and with Benucci bubbling away it was only going to end one way, surely ?

The 9 combo of Callis and PJM had been swapped a few times, trying to find that perfect service to the ever-changing back line, as Alfie took a well-deserved break Bailey and Will cut straight through the opposition and with Will bearing down on a certain score, Alfie preparing to come on and level things up with another sweet strike, almost inexplicably Will was bumped out of the scoring area and over the dead ball line !.......... no one could quite believe it and as the referee blew UCS knew they had got lucky.

So here begins the long list of ‘ifs’:

If Lex hadn’t got injured

If Ed had been on time

If Bailey had gone to the right club

If Ox could kick

If deadball areas were bigger than 5ft

If Ed had socks

If Ditchburn hadn’t moved house

If our Physio had showed up

If Graham King finally came out to play………if, if , if

The effort was superb and the season rolls on, these will be the games we look back on and smile, well done Hogs !

(and well done 1XV……news of your win cheered the lads up no end #onesquad)

 




Team James Akrill, Bailey Burton, Paul Foster, Edward Bellamy, Joff Lord, Rob Shaw, Harry Elleston, Joe Benucci, James Callis, Alfie Burkett, Octavio Vinoly, Daniel Barnes, David Cooper, Matthew Houlden, Will Clifford

Subs Simeon Green, Paul James Marvell, Richard Lucas

Scores T: Octavio Vinoly (1), Alfie Burkett (1), David Cooper (1), Matthew Houlden (1) C: Alfie Burkett (2)

Herts Mddx Merit Table The league: Herts Mddx Merit Table

 

 

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Hitchin Rugby Limited, King George V Playing Fields, Old Hale Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1XL England, Charity No. 1159772
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