Rugby club get reward for team effort
Monday, 12th October 2009.
Eastern Counties League II
Harwich 17
Haverhill 1st XV 20
With captain Ryan Raffell and stalwart Paul Bergin back in the team, but despite injuries from the previous week carried over with Stephenson and Clayden still out, Haverhill fielded a class line-up for the top of the table clash on the Essex coast.
With a sloping pitch and an end to end wind, Raffell chose to play against the wind and up the hill first half, which was inspired.
From the off, Harwich pressured Haverhill and on five minutes, with a penalty awarded, Kier Blacker for Harwich dropped a goal for a 3-0 lead. On eight minutes the lead was doubled with Sam Male adding a penalty awarded for not rolling away from the tackle.
From the restart Haverhill pressurised and Harwich dropped the ball for a scrum, which was lost, but a great charge down by Tony Smith added to the pressure on the Harwich line, and birthday boy Raffell picked up the ball and dived over the ruck for a score under the posts, converted by Jake Plumridge.
On 20 minutes, Tony Smith went off with possible cracked ribs, and replacement Alan Bennett was off one minute later with an Achilles strain, seeing Alex Wong take to the second row position and turn in a performance that almost secured the man of match award.
By now, Haverhill were in the Harwich half and won a penalty, missed by Plumridge. Some good tackling by Brodie Patrick and lovely play by Raffell off the back of the scrum kept Harwich on the back foot.
The front row of Grant Deeks, Bergin and Ben Jones were also incredibly active in the loose play. Finally on 30 minutes, Harwich broke into the Haverhill half for the first time in 15 minutes and won a penalty, converted by Male.
Haverhill came back and were awarded another penalty, missed by Plumridge, and then a move by Harwich saw another penalty kick taken by Male for 12-7 on 35 minutes.
From the restart the referee spotted hands on the floor and binned Haverhill's Carl Anderson for 10 minutes. A move by Harwich saw Blacker diving through, but he was hit by a huge try-saving tackle five metres out by Martin Ransome, cleared by Chris Flannery for the last play of the half.
Haverhill now had the wind and slope to play with. From the off Haverhill used the wind superbly and won a scrum. Even with a man down Haverhill bossed the scrum, but lost the ball tenmetres out from the Harwich line and a break-out saw Harwich's Craig Bennett cross the line under the posts on 42 minutes, the conversion amazingly missed by Male.
Haverhill would normally have their heads drop, but came back again and camped on the Harwich line. At the point where Anderson came back on the pitch, Harwich lost their second row man Joseph Hunt to a card for handling on the floor.
The penalty was missed by Plumridge, but on 48 minutes Haverhill got three points from a penalty by Plumridge.
Harwich tried to clear into the Haverhill half, but two great tackles, seconds apart by Joe Brown led to a scrum for Harwich, which was totally destroyed by Haverhill who pushed towards the Harwich line.
On 62 minutes, a penalty in front of the posts was run by Haverhill, who luckily got a second chance and decided to take the points with Plumridge converting.
Still camped in the Harwich 22, on 70 minutes, Harwich kicked to clear, only succeeding to dink the ball up for Flannery to catch and pass across the line for Mike Woods to score in the corner, brilliantly converted by Plumridge for a three-point lead.
Finally Harwich broke into the Haverhill half, but a series of great defensive plays and a calm approach led to Haverhill clearing from their 22 and taking the whistle, and top spot in the table.
The referee was superb in the game, being fair and harsh in equal measure, leading to a very good flowing game of rugby.
Harwich 17
Haverhill 1st XV 20
With captain Ryan Raffell and stalwart Paul Bergin back in the team, but despite injuries from the previous week carried over with Stephenson and Clayden still out, Haverhill fielded a class line-up for the top of the table clash on the Essex coast.
With a sloping pitch and an end to end wind, Raffell chose to play against the wind and up the hill first half, which was inspired.
From the off, Harwich pressured Haverhill and on five minutes, with a penalty awarded, Kier Blacker for Harwich dropped a goal for a 3-0 lead. On eight minutes the lead was doubled with Sam Male adding a penalty awarded for not rolling away from the tackle.
From the restart Haverhill pressurised and Harwich dropped the ball for a scrum, which was lost, but a great charge down by Tony Smith added to the pressure on the Harwich line, and birthday boy Raffell picked up the ball and dived over the ruck for a score under the posts, converted by Jake Plumridge.
On 20 minutes, Tony Smith went off with possible cracked ribs, and replacement Alan Bennett was off one minute later with an Achilles strain, seeing Alex Wong take to the second row position and turn in a performance that almost secured the man of match award.
By now, Haverhill were in the Harwich half and won a penalty, missed by Plumridge. Some good tackling by Brodie Patrick and lovely play by Raffell off the back of the scrum kept Harwich on the back foot.
The front row of Grant Deeks, Bergin and Ben Jones were also incredibly active in the loose play. Finally on 30 minutes, Harwich broke into the Haverhill half for the first time in 15 minutes and won a penalty, converted by Male.
Haverhill came back and were awarded another penalty, missed by Plumridge, and then a move by Harwich saw another penalty kick taken by Male for 12-7 on 35 minutes.
From the restart the referee spotted hands on the floor and binned Haverhill's Carl Anderson for 10 minutes. A move by Harwich saw Blacker diving through, but he was hit by a huge try-saving tackle five metres out by Martin Ransome, cleared by Chris Flannery for the last play of the half.
Haverhill now had the wind and slope to play with. From the off Haverhill used the wind superbly and won a scrum. Even with a man down Haverhill bossed the scrum, but lost the ball tenmetres out from the Harwich line and a break-out saw Harwich's Craig Bennett cross the line under the posts on 42 minutes, the conversion amazingly missed by Male.
Haverhill would normally have their heads drop, but came back again and camped on the Harwich line. At the point where Anderson came back on the pitch, Harwich lost their second row man Joseph Hunt to a card for handling on the floor.
The penalty was missed by Plumridge, but on 48 minutes Haverhill got three points from a penalty by Plumridge.
Harwich tried to clear into the Haverhill half, but two great tackles, seconds apart by Joe Brown led to a scrum for Harwich, which was totally destroyed by Haverhill who pushed towards the Harwich line.
On 62 minutes, a penalty in front of the posts was run by Haverhill, who luckily got a second chance and decided to take the points with Plumridge converting.
Still camped in the Harwich 22, on 70 minutes, Harwich kicked to clear, only succeeding to dink the ball up for Flannery to catch and pass across the line for Mike Woods to score in the corner, brilliantly converted by Plumridge for a three-point lead.
Finally Harwich broke into the Haverhill half, but a series of great defensive plays and a calm approach led to Haverhill clearing from their 22 and taking the whistle, and top spot in the table.
The referee was superb in the game, being fair and harsh in equal measure, leading to a very good flowing game of rugby.
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