Cranleigh 27 - 3 Old Freeman’s
29 March 2008
Another impressive display of rugby in poor conditions saw Cranes sweep aside Old Freeman’s in their 3rd league win in a row. With a heavyweight pack providing a secure platform from the outset Cranleigh seemed always to be in a dominant position. OFs opened the scoring through a well slotted penalty but Cranes responded, seeing Paul Futter levelling the score through an equally challenging kick. With superb play from the Cranleigh back row of Dan Cast, Chris Morris & Ryan Pannel OFs attacks on the fringes were constantly neutralised. The first score came from a penetrating run in the centres, followed by quick hands down the line releasing Jamie Williams to glide in to the corner. Mike Stacey soon added to the scoreboard with a well constructed pick & drive. The loyal crowd that had braved the weather could now sense the team’s growing confidence. The towering figure of Luke Small was too much for the OFs back as he brushed aside tackles & offloaded a try scoring pass to full back Lawrence Smith in a superb display of rugby. The final score came from a well worked run from winger Mark Brett, drawing men in & then looping a floating pass back to Captain James Moore who dived in the corner to seal a great game of rugby.
Cranleigh 45 – 0 Old Amplefordians
8 March 2008
Another hurdle mastered as Cranleigh fight their way off the bottom of Surrey 1. A dominant performance on a wet afternoon saw them brush aside Old Amplefordians in a game that oozed commitment, passion & pride from the Cranleigh boys. Dominating in the set piece OAs had no answer to Cranleigh’s heavyweight but mobile pack & the tries began to flow. The ever improving Ryan Panel opening the scoring, with a simple pick up & drive from the back of ruck. No. 8 Mike Stacey added two to his season tally as the scrum effortlessly trundled over the line. Old As tried to penetrate through the centres, but superb defence crushed any attacks with notable hard hitting performances from David Eve, Tim Bargman & Chris Morris. The Cranes backs ran well worked moves orchestrated by the experienced Paul Futter at fly half. Lawrence Smith again showed his impacting presence by scoring two tries as the ball was pushed wide & Captain James Moore sold a simple dummy on his opposite number to add another 5 points to the impressive scoreline. With confidence running high, Cranes are now focussed on Freeman’s at home on the 29 March.
Battersea 10 – 19 Cranleigh
1 March 2008
A must win game saw Cranes step up to the mark & produce one of the performances of the season. Cranleigh have suffered a bad run of form this season, but Saturday showed they are a team never to under estimated. The trip to Battersea saw the Cranes start sluggish but slowly tightened their grip on an exciting contest. With the return of Phil Moore & Lawrence Smith to side there was an underlying air of confidence. Although Battersea opened the scoring with a penalty, dominant possession saw the Cranes backs brush aside the hosts’ defence seeing Smith dive under the posts. The game remained tight for much of the first half but Cranes again stepped up the pace against the elements in the second, seeing well worked move in the backs allowing Jamie Williams to send a long rocket of a pass to Ben Silks, who score in the corner. Battersea came back strongly & breached Cranleigh’s defence, allowing their winger to slide in far out wide. With a superb conversion the scoreline narrowed until James Moore was able to step his man & score under the posts to seal a well deserved victory.
Cranleigh 0 - 23 Old Whitgiftians
16 February 2008
Cranleigh's relegation fears were deepened by another loss. Despite fielding a much stronger pack than last week and winning plenty of possession and territory, Cranes were unable to score the points their efforts deserved while Whitgift made the most of their opportunities. After falling behind to an early penalty Cranes established some good field positions but could not convert pressure into points, the main failing of the team this season. Strong running by Luke Edwards and Ben Silk beat the first line of defence but Cranleigh couldn't capitalise. Whitgift defended firmly and broke out forcing a scrum on the Cranleigh 22. From there a slick move broke the cover defence for a well taken converted try. Cranleigh battled back with no reward and a second penalty by Whitgift made the score 0-13 at half time.
Cranes started the second half strongly and a trademark jinking run from Paul Futter saw him cross the line only for the Whitgift full back to pull off an excellent last ditch tackle and force a knock on. After a period of stalemate Cranleigh lost a man to the sin bin for retaliation but continued to attack and further breaks from Edwards and Christian Morris took Cranleigh deep into Whitgift territory but the final pass went begging on both occasions. From a tap penalty in their own 22 Whitgift moved the ball quickly and a powerful burst along the left touchline saw Whitgift's full back score a fine try to seal the game. A last minute red card for fighting compounded Cranleigh's misery. Cranleigh's dogged efforts were again unrewarded in what was an entertaining and hard fought match.
London Exiles 50 – 7 Cranleigh
9 February 2008
The end of the season is in sight, and Cranleigh went in to this game knowing that it was a must win if they were to pull themselves off the bottom of the table. On the back of strong solid performances in their last league games, Cranes travelled away full of confidence. Not for the first time this season, a combination of injuries and unavailability meant Cranleigh fielded a much small light weight pack with players out of position. Even with the experience of Cranleigh lock legend Kenny Edwards, and Rob Ambler the pack struggled with Exiles dominance in the driving maul. Poor tackling throughout the game meant Exiles ran in numerous points. Cranes at time showed hints of previous performances, with a well constructed driving maul seeing David Eve gain his first try of the season. Cranes backs also struggled to perform under the well constructed defence of Exiles. The score line may have flattered the game but Exiles were deserved winners.
Cranleigh 10 – 17 Kingston
26 January 2008
Another close game saw Cranes fall to the league leaders Kinston in a superb game of rugby. Although Cranes walked off the pitch defeated, there was a true feeling of achievement & the knowledge that despite being at the foot of the table they are worthy opponents to any side. Ks took the first blood by a quick pick up from the back of the scrum seeing the No 8 spin the ball out to the centre to ground the ball over the line. Their second score came from their strongest asset the driving maul. A motivated Cranes took the game back to the visitors, dominating in the lineout & equalling brut force with aggression in all areas. Peter Barrau narrowed the gap peeling off the back of a maul to push through the Ks defence line to bring the score to 14-5 at the half. Cranes dominated territory & possession for most of the second half but Kingston were still able grab another 3 points from an easy penalty. The pressure finally paid off with one of the best tries this season. Backs & forwards interlinking majestically & then seeing winger David Smillie hit the ball at speed & dart around his player for a grand try for the final score. Captain James Moore said the boys performed outstandingly but you can't spend 30 minutes applying the pressure in your opponents 22 & not come away with points; bottom line Kingston didn't!
Cranleigh 15 – 18 Old Caterhamians
19 January 2008
Another narrow defeat saw Cranes slip to bottom table in Surrey 1. The physical battle saw three players taken to A&E with closeness of the final score reflecting the commitment shown by both sides. Cranes, playing up the hill with the wind against them, took an early lead with quick hands down the line seeing winger David Smillie stretch in at the corner. Old Cats responded with a driving maul in the bottom left corner to level the score. Cranes always seemed to be dominating but questionable & perhaps even one-sided refereeing caused Cranes frustration which was always going to hinder their game. Cranes dominated possession but Old Cats pounced on a spilled ball to grab a runaway try & a penalty soon after saw them take a reasonable lead before halftime. The second half began with Old Cats slotting a penalty to further extend their lead, but the Cranes responded & started turning the screws. Slick hands again saw Smillie touching down for the second time & Will Stacey’s might enabled him to drive over in the right corner. The victory was for the taking but the referee’s final whistle halted the Cranes comeback ending the same game 15 -18.
Cranleigh 3 - 12 Old Alleynians
5 January 2008
After Cranes received a 50 point hammering last time they played Old As, they were always going to be under dogs in this contest. Those who saw the match however would think Cranes were unlucky to loose such a close physical contest. Dominating in the lineout & scrums, the Cranes pack performed outstandingly through out the game, with notable performances from Phil Moore, Ryan Panel & Will Stacey. Old As kept themselves in the fight with superb back play which Cranes struggled to contend with. Majestic off loading in the tackle put Cranes defence to the test but at half time both teams hadn't scored. A penalty in front of the posts 60 minutes in saw Jamie Williams slot & Cranes took the lead. Old As responded immediately as Cranes relaxed off the kick off. Maintaining the possession & quick hands down the line saw the right wing score in the corner. The game then slipped from Cranes grasp when Old As fly half, who has been instrumental to their team’s success this season, toed a well weighted cross field kick for the left wing to collect & score under the posts, securing a narrow victory. Captain James Moore couldn't fault the boys’ commitment & with many players now returning from injury the side is now getting back to the strength & depth of previous seasons.
Old Freeman's 13 - 5 Cranleigh
15 December 2007
A spirited performance was not enough to secure victory for Cranes as they saw their league campaign take another dip. Freeman’s opened the scoring by capitalising on the Cranes lack of reaction under a high ball. Pouncing on the bounce, followed by quick simple hands down the line, saw the winger slide over in the corner. Cranes took the game back to Freeman’s, dominating possession & territory for long periods in their 22. Only excellent defence stopped Cranes aggressive forwards as they drove for the line. Momentum was soon lost with back to back injuries for fly half Paul Futter & winger Mark Brett. The team was quick restructured, but with players noticeable playing out of position Cranes lost their grip & the pressure relented. Cranes were always confident to spin the ball wide but saw Freeman’s score a soft interception try to extend their lead, followed by a penalty soon afterwards. Jason Quick narrowed the gap by charging down a kick & scoring on the right, but the referee’s whistle soon ended another frustrating game.
Cranleigh 16 - 0 Croydon
1 December 2007
Saturday saw Cranleigh turn a big corner in getting their league campaign back on track. The team displayed a strong presence as they observed a minute silence prior to kick off for that of the late Ron Thomas, one of, if not the founding member of the Club. He will be sorely missed. Cranes new this weekend was time to front up & nothing short of a positive performance would do. Playing against the wind first half Cranleigh counter attacked superbly, seeing Paul Futter & Dave Smillie running back missed kicks & penetrating Croydon's back line. The forwards worked as a solid unit dominating set pieces. With aggressive, controlled rucking, plus pick & drive around the fringes consistently testing Croydon's defence. The visitors can take some comfort from the fact that only their superb tackling stopped the scores racking up. With controlled, secure ball to the backs, Jamie Williams orchestrated the game well, releasing centre Ben Silks on searching runs. However given all Cranes' territory & possession the scores just had to come. Eventually a simple move from the back of the scrum released winger Rob Melvin to dive in the corner. Futter kicked the extras superbly, slotting the conversion from far on the right wing against the wind. This was soon followed by a further Futter penalty before halftime. After that in the second half Croydon never really looked a serious threat, with their attacks frequently snuffed out by the Cranes' backrow of Chris Morris, Jason Quick & Luke Edwards. Williams kept the visitors pinned in their own half with pinpoint downwind kicking. Futter continued to slot the penalties to stretch the lead, so after a number of extremely disappointing recent results Cranleigh finally celebrated a strong league win.
Old Alleynians 54 - 9 Cranleigh
24 November 2007
Cranes heaviest defeat in a number of seasons has only strengthened the players’ resolve to turn the season around. OA’s, coached by England player Nick Easter, showed that they are more than capable contenders for the league title. Cranes, still suffering through extensive injuries, had OAs worried for the first half. Competing well at the breakdown & controlling set piece, with outstanding play by Jason Quick & Will Stacey in the loose, allowed quick ball for Cranleigh’s backs to probe OA's backline, the constant pressure forcing three penalties which Paul Futter slotted with ease. By the halftime whistle OAs had grafted a slender lead, but only through Cranes’ mistakes & the game was still anyone’s for the taking. The second half saw OAs dominate Cranes in the scrum as they solidified their well drilled side. Their flyhalf dictated the game beautifully, with strong inside lines from runners, sucking the Cranleigh players into the breakdown & quick, simple, effective ball spun out wide meant the overlaps were there to be exploited & the tries began to flow. Captain James Moore can never fault his team’s commitment & where other teams would be despondent & demotivated, he says there's an awesome team spirit & the hunger for victory has now never been so strong.
Eastleigh 15 - 0 Cranleigh
17 November 2007
No match report for this game.
Cranleigh 24 - 29 Old Caterhamians
10 November 2007
Cranes were disappointed to loose a match they thought was in the bag. They took the lead early through slick hands and support play allowing James Moore to dive into the corner. This was quickly counter acted by Old Cats exploiting poor defence in what appeared at times to be a slightly lack lustre Cranleigh backs line, as they crossed over for their first try, followed by a converted penalty soon after. Cranes always seemed to be in charge of the game, with exceptional play by Ryan Panel, who scored Cranleigh's second try with a 20 yard solo run to the line. The second half saw Cranes up the tempo with Luke Edwards scoring a well constructed pick and drive try at the base of the ruck. The game almost looked out of sight as the elusive Tim Bargman darted down the right wing to touch the ball down and extend the lead further. With 10 minutes to go Cranleigh made three basic handling areas and saw the game slip from their grasp as quick reactions form Old Cats saw them pounce on loose ball and have unchallenged runs to the line. With excellent place kicking to seal the victory Old Cats walked off the pitch tasting the sweet as Cranes were left with the sour!
Kingston 35 - 12 Cranleigh
3 November 2007
The score line is perhaps a poor reflection of a Cranes team that put their bodies on the line & fought a highly competitive match. Previous league matches had seen Cranleigh sustain heavy injury losses, with key player’s side lined. Cranes faced Kingston, a team riding on a high at the top of the table. Cranes new they had players playing out of position & were always going to be the under dogs. Kingston, rumoured to have the strongest pack in Surrey 1, showed their dominance early on, pushing Cranleigh's, much lighter & inexperienced pack around the park. In the loose it was an even affair, with Kingston's attacks stemmed by superb tackling by all 15 Crane's players. Aggression at the breakdowns was of the highest quality, but their being unable to retain the ball at the set pieces would always be Cranleigh's undoing. The majority of Kingston's tries came from well constructed driving mauls, but Cranes always looked for the attacking option, with Mark Brett & Ed Lang scoring two well worked individual tries in the second half. Captain James Moore expressed his admiration at the commitment the boys showed & looks forward to seeing Kingston again for the return home match, when they are sure to face a much more robust forward pack, injuries permitting.
Cranleigh 5 - 20 London Exiles
27 October 2007
Another frustrating result for the Cranes against long standing opponents London Exiles. The score was locked at 3-0 to Exiles for 2/3rds of the game, when beautiful backs interplay saw the visitors score under the host’s posts. Although dominating in the scrums & being effective in the line outs, Cranes lacked aggression & poor rucking at the breakdown out wide meant unwanted turnovers. Although strong in defence Cranleigh's backs lacked pace on the ball & never looked a true threat. An impressive maul from the hosts saw Will Stacey dive over to narrow the scoreline, but Exiles mirrored the same move over the Cranes line 10 minutes later. A simple conversion followed. With a well slotted penalty, Exiles secured their first league win of the season. Captain James Moore, who watched from the sideline with a broken hand said; "There's lots to work on & today was an unpleasant learning curve."
Old Whitgiftians 30 - 0 Cranleigh
20 October 2007
A disappointing result for the Cranes against the side that they lost to by just 1 point in last season's Surrey Vase Final. The impressive win by Old Whits was perhaps only achieved by Cranleigh receiving an unjustified red card in the first five minutes of the game for an offence that didn't occur. This was confirmed by Old Whitgiftians' players during post match drinks. Although a man down in the forwards Cranleigh held their own with exceptional play from David Eve & James Whitcombe. As the minutes ticked by Old Whits capitalised on their natural advantage scoring well worked tries out wide. Cranes never gave up, putting their bodies on the line. Captain James Moore says his team eagerly look forward to the return home match where a full squad awaits Old Whits!
Cranleigh 27 – 20 New Milton & District
13 October 2007
The Cranes chiseled out a winning performance to progress through to the next staged of the EDF Junior Vase on Saturday. The result was testament to Cranleigh's fitness, determination & discipline as questionable refereeing disrupted & hindered a challenging game. Cranleigh’s pack was undersized, but their technique was superior, dominating the scrummage & holding the driving mauls. Strong solo running from Luke Edwards down the right wing opened the scoring. Pinpoint place kicking from Luke Small & a second try coming from Dan Cast meant the host lead 15-0 at the break. Milton came back strong in the second half, kicking themselves level to push the game in to extra time. A well worked move by the visitors saw them take the lead through an excellent try by their fullback. Cranes strength & endurance was too over powering in the last 10 minutes, seeing Cast claiming a second try & prop Phil Moore diving over under the posts to secure the victory.
Cranleigh 16 - 6 Battersea Ironsides
29 September 2007
The Cranes were able to craft out an ugly win against an aggressive Battersea Ironsides. The game was over shadowed by numerous yellow cards & penalties against the London visitors. Cranleigh showed spells of true promise but often found themselves failing to execute try scoring opportunities at the final hurdle. Taking first blood, Luke Small’s boot was on target to slot a testing penalty, followed minutes later by the towering figure of Mike Stacey to drive over in the corner. Battersea sporadically visited the Cranes half but were able to convert pressure in to points slotting two simple penalties. Cranleigh never looked like loosing the game, but the score line was always going to be close. Strong tackling by backrow Ed Lang, Will Stacey & Chris Morris stemmed any Battersea attacks. Glimpses of promises came from beautiful backs & forwards interplay in the final quarter of the match which allowed James Moore to exploit the overlap on the right wing to dive over & secure the victory.
Old Amplefordians 18 - 18 Cranleigh
15 September 2007
Cranleigh began their new league campaign against recently demoted Amplefordians with an encouraging result. Even with souring temperatures the game was played at a fast pace, with Cranleigh dominating territory & possession the majority of the first half. With second row Dan Cast pushing through a beautifully weighted grubber kick through the defensive line allowing Luke Edwards to touch down. Maintaining the pressure Cranleigh demonstrated superb handling & interplay in the backs to see Jason Quick drive over to extend the visitors lead. Injuries took their toll on Cranes with the influential forwards of prop James Farley & Dan Cast having to come off stalling their momentum. Amplefordians capitalized on a shaky Cranes lineout, driving the ball over the line to reduce the gap just before the half. Attacking through the backs again Cranleigh saw Dave Smillie dive in the corner followed by a penalty slotted by Luke Small, but Amplefordians kept their heads, leveling the game through another forward constructed try, a drop goal & penalty.
