Lordswood 12 Tonbridge Juddians 6
Report from Geoff Pettitt
On the face of it this result was a vast improvement on the home match that TJs lost to Lordswood 5 - 38 back in early November. In fact, it turned out to be a lost opportunity.
Both teams on Saturday were said to be under strength - indeed six TJ 1st XV players had declared themselves unavailable for the match. With so many regulars missing, the improvement in TJ’s form, which was beginning to show before Christmas therefore looked unlikely to continue. And so it proved.
TJs made a slow start but resisted Lordswood’s early pressure. They steadily worked their way into the match and into Lordwood territory and put together a series of good attacking moves driving and recycling well. It was, however, twenty minutes into the match before anyone scored. TJ’s pressure forced Lordswood into conceding a penalty for offside and fly-half Smyth, returning after a lengthy period out of the game through injury, duly took the three points on offer from a position in front of the posts and some twenty metres out. At this stage with TJs occupying Lordswood’s 22 and having taken a deserved lead it looked as though they could be heading for a surprise victory.
But almost as soon as that possibility arose TJs seemed to lose their momentum and with it the little control over the match that they had established. Lordswood missed with one penalty attempt at goal but soon after they levelled the scores with a successful kick from 35 metres and a few minutes later, in their now more frequent visits to TJ’s half, Lordswood’s centre dropped a goal to take them into the lead.
Although Lordswood missed with a further penalty, they did manage to score again. Just on half-time, with Lordswood going all out for a try, TJs were awarded a penalty for stamping about fifteen metres in front of their posts. TJ’s scrum-half Piacevsky made an enthusiastic attempt to retrieve the ball from a Lordswood player but was deemed by the referee to have “retaliated”. Thus the penalty which would have relieved the pressure on TJ’s line was reversed and three points were gifted instead to the home team to take the score at the break to Lordswood 9 TJs 3.
The second period of this rather scrappy game was largely played out in the middle of the pitch with first one side taking the initiative and then the other.
Carlton, who had a good strong game in the loose, broke through the melee and charged, unfortunately without support, for the line only to be forced into touch a few yards out. This established TJs in a strong attacking position but their handling together with a tendency to over-complicate their moves, let them down on a number of occasions and the immediate opportunity to score a try drifted away.
Eventually this period of pressure did bring a reward. TJ’s Smyth kicked a simple penalty to take the score to 9 – 6, a position from which, of course, that sought-after try would win the match.
It was not to be. Lordswood worked their way back up the field and kept TJs there for long spells without ever seriously threatening the line. But the home side did have the final word. TJs conceded yet another penalty for offside which Lordswood converted taking the score to Lordswood 12 TJs 6. Despite a few sorties into Lordswood’s half TJs were unable to find the score which would have brought them victory.
This was a disappointing performance by TJs. It would perhaps be an exaggeration to say that they had expected to win this match after the drubbing they had received at Lordswood’s hands earlier in the season. But it soon became clear that this match was a much different affair and was there for the taking. The two points from such an unexpected win would have been a welcome boost and bonus to TJ’s league campaign.
Lordswood were clearly superior in the scrums and they were very quick off the mark and solid in defence. But too often TJs damaged their own cause by kicking the ball away to the opposition. Their passing was sometimes wild and misdirected so that they were unable to take full advantage of the possession and territory they had worked so hard to win. Also the penalty count against TJs was, once again, far too high.
As usual it was not all bad. Carlton, standing in at prop, had a storming game in the loose. Wagstaff at No 8 pulled off some miraculous retrievals of the ball at the back of an often retreating scrum and showed spirit and determination when on the attack. The line-out was TJ’s most likely source of good set-piece possession. With Pierce in good athletic form, it proved pretty reliable throughout the game although it did wobble a little in the second half.
TJs will have to improve on this poor performance if they are to survive in this league.
Tonbridge Juddians 1st XV: Cheeseman; Burgess, Ravilious (capt), Wesley, MacNamarra; Smyth, Piacevsky; Stevenson, Wallace, Carlton (Stoor 65), Sharkey, Fitzpatrick, Pierce, Underhill, Wagstaff.
Next Saturday is set aside for the matches in the next round of the EDF Intermediate Vase and TJ’s 1st XV, who are not involved, take a week off. They return to league action at The Slade against Aylesford on Saturday 19th January 2008, kick-off 2.15pm.
