Tonbridge Juddians 3 Old Mid Whitgiftians 6
Report from Geoff Pettitt
This was a disappointing day both for Tonbridge Juddians and for England. But whereas England rose to the occasion of the World Cup Final TJs could not find it in them to beat an OMWs team which had yet to register its first win in the league. The score says it all. It was a poor game with poor skills on display but it was nevertheless a game that TJs had a need and ample opportunity to win.
OMWs started the game at top speed as if to belie their lowly league position. TJs, on the other hand took some time to get to grips with the pace and urgency of the game and it was a full 13 minutes before they managed to play the ball in OMW’s half. Gradually the home side improved and discarded their lethargy but, having won possession of the ball, they frequently kicked it away to no purpose or left the ball carrier with no options or support.
It was no surprise then that with half of the first half gone in a pretty featureless match it was TJs who conceded a penalty for offside. OMW’s fly-half Stanton slotted the kick and gave the visitors a deserved 3 – 0 lead.
One of TJ’s several opportunities occurred soon afterwards. A penalty to touch took them to a good attacking position in the right-hand corner. On three successive occasions TJs won an ensuing line-out and drove for the line only for OMWs to infringe again and concede the penalty. The worrying aspect was that despite the possession, position and pressure TJs were unable to score and, in due course, they lost the ball in the tackle and a resolute OMW’s defence was let off the hook.
A non-descript first half concluded with two more penalties, one to OMWs for offside in front of the posts and one to TJs which their fly-half Buckley thankfully converted.
So TJs found themselves 3 – 6 down at half-time. Despite a lacklustre start they had shown signs that they might pull the game out of the bag in the second half.
TJs did indeed start well with Murphy, perhaps TJs most likely threat to the OMW’s line, slipping over after breaking through the first line of defence. And TJs continued to have the better of the game despite the fact that their throwing-in at the line-out began to waver and what had been certain possession became somewhat of a lottery.
TJ’s forwards, with Allen, Carroll, Howell and Wagstaff covering a lot of ground, were still able however to win their fair share of possession. They did look the more likely side to score a try but behind the scrum they seemed at a loss to know how to make that final, telling few yards to the line without knocking-on or running straight into the very place on the field where OMWs were massed in defence.
In a very scrappy game where the second half was as lacking in incident as the first penalties were the order of the day but none was converted to add to the score.
TJs continued on the attack to the end and with a couple of minutes to go on the clock they forced OMWs to infringe inside the 22 and pretty well straight on. A confident and ambitious side might have run the ball to try to score the touch-down that would win the match. TJs, low on both confidence and ambition, chose to take the kick at goal. At least it would bring a draw and a much-needed league point.
The kick at goal was more or less the final act of a very frustrating and disappointing match. The ball hit the post and bounced out. Out went TJ’s one point for a draw and in came OMW’s first win of the season.
The most exciting moment of the afternoon occurred off the pitch. A helicopter landed on an adjacent pitch to pick up and carry TJ’s captain, Matt Mitchell off to the airport from where he would fly to Paris to watch England in the World Cup Final. The helicopter lifted off and made away to the south but there had been little else to lift the other TJs or their spirits last Saturday afternoon.
Next week TJs are away to Aylesford who currently lie mid-table having won three out of their six matches. TJs will have to raise their game considerably if they are to reverse their current trend and win the match. Kick-off is at 3.00 pm.
Tonbridge Juddians: Pemble; Mitchell, Murphy, Ventin, Cocks (Connolly 60): Buckley, Piaseczny; Stevenson (Parrett 65), Wallace, Allen, Carroll, Howell Mark I (Underhill 60), Bartlett, Howell Mark II, Wagstaff.
