Early failures punished by late decision
By Jim Morgan at Little Melton on Monday, 7th January 2013.
Haverhill travelled into Norfolk to play the young Norwich Medics side and very nearly pulled off the win but for a poor refereeing decision two minutes from time.
This being said, Haverhill had their chances to nail the game earlier and failed to convert these into points.
With new signing Chance Mulama taking the number 10 shirt, Haverhill looked to be back to their better form of the season start and putting behind them the nightmare lead-up to the Christmas break.
The front row of George Self, Dan Harris and George Foley are starting to work well as a unit, with Foley showing what a consummate player of the game he is, with some huge crunching tackles at key times in the game.
Michael Lansdowne in the back row was able to combine nicely with stalwarts Carl Anderson and Paul Bergin, giving the Medics backs no quarter.
It was this type of pressure that led to the first score on 15 minutes. Haverhill harried the Medics where they held onto the ball and were penalised.
A tap penalty afforded a gain of another ten metres and the Medics infringed again, allowing Martin Hughes to step up to the kicking tee and slot a 45-metre kick over.
Haverhill spent the whole of the first half with the wind in their backs and in the Norwich half. A nice set and drive saw the ball set up for Mulama to try the drop goal with the ball missed by inches.
With Haverhill finally using the new rotating substitution rules properly, Dan Bishop was replaced for Harry Marsh and his jumping skills introduced into the line-out augmented those of Anderson and Haverhill started to win ball at will.
With five minutes to go to half-time Haverhill won a penalty in an infinitely kickable position.
With a Medic player down, Hughes set up for the kick on goal, but then Haverhill chose to run the ball and camped on the Medics try line, but failed to cross the whitewash. This was pivotal in the low-scoring game, to turn down a relatively easy chance for three points.
At the restart Ransome was replaced by Bishop, but was soon back on the pitch for a nasty blood injury to the ever-impressive Michael Woods. David Halsey, the club first responder, did a good job to patch the cut eye and Woods resumed his watch at full back.
With the wind, the Medics were able to break into Haverhill's half, but Haverhill regularly broke through with skipper Hunt, Monty Beeton, Hughes and Brodie Patrick running at will through the line, set forth by the very impressive Mulama.
The Medics soaked the pressure and, with some decisions that were regularly described as 'wrong' from the referee assessor, were able to hold their line.
Another Mulama drop kick on 60 minutes dropped tantalisingly the wrong side of the crossbar.
With the Medics pressurizing in the last ten minutes, Haverhill’s defence was excellent, with the likes of Lansdowne and Mulama regularly ripping the ball and turning over possession.
It was a fantastic ripping move that finally undid Haverhill. Mulama ripped the ball from the Medics scrum half, going to ground and passing.
The medics appealed for a penalty and, to the consternation of the sizeable Haverhill contingent making the 120-mile round trip and the referee assessor, his arm went up for the penalty, which it was not.
Appealing on a rugby pitch is something that is not done and results in the decision being reversed, so this made the situation even more galling.
The Medics kicker could not really miss as the ball was in front of the posts, although it was intriguing there was discussion as to whether they should kick to the corner and try for the five points or take the kick and level the score. 3-3 with two minutes remaining.
Haverhill pushed forward and got very close to the medics line, but the final whistle came on a breakdown of play and the honours were even.
Haverhill has found a great player in Mulama and will hopefully continue in their quest to remain in EC2 for next season.
Haverhill play Mistley at home on the 12th, kick-off 2pm.
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