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1st XV Match Report: Medicals Regain Their 3 Point Cushion In London 3NW With A Gritty Win Over Vauxhall Motors.
Tries: Farren, Bartosiak-Jentys
Conversions: Logan
Pens: Logan (2)
Drop Goals:
With the M1 up to its old tricks the Medicals arrived in Luton to take on bottom of the table Vauxhall Motors just 30 minutes before the scheduled 2.30pm kick-off. Frenzied negotiations earnt the visitors a 15 minute reprive which was much needed owing to the number of changes in the Medicals squad. In the front row Tim Hookway and Johnny Fisher-Price made their first starts for a few weeks whilst prop Ed Pickles had to fill in in the back row due to the late arrival of Will Melia. The backline also required re-jigging with Martin Borthwick switching to scrum-half, Andy Harrison, who was making his debut, starting at fly-half and Gareth Walker coming into the centres.
The unfamiliarity in the Medical's side certainly showed in the opening minutes as the turgid affair was strewn with errors resulting in play being slowed down due to the huge number of scrums. Given the state of the game it was little surprise that the visitors opened the scoring with a penalty which James Logan smashed through the uprights from 30 metres out. Vauxhall Motors soon replied with a penalty of their own as both sides struggled to put any phases of play together.
The remainder of the first period contained very little noteworthy play except for a sin-binning for the Vauxhall Motors lose-head prop, who was involved in an unsavoury off the ball incident, and a Medicals try. After Andy Harrison had pushed play deep into the Vauxhall twenty-two the Medicals put huge pressure on the home side's lineout. Chris Hallewell was able to rise in front of his opposite jumper and steal the ball. Like a flash the Medicals set up a driving maul which Nick Farren orchastrated from the back. Marshalling the men in front of him, Farren was able to steer the Medicals' maul over the tryline, and touch down at the back. Logan expertly added the conversion from 10 metres in from the right touchline.
At half-time Kevan Bell asked his charges to start playing some rugby rather than the, as skipper Peter O'Neill put it, "pap" that they had served up in the first half. One change suring the interval saw Ed Pickles take a well deserved rest as he was replaced by the late arriving Will Melia.
The second half although better than the first was still not to provide the spectators with any great entertainment as the small narrow pitch hindered the Medicals' desire to play open rugby. Indeed, wings Suna Bull and Sam Codrington who have been in devastating form this season were starved of possession. Unable to find much luck out wide the Medcials started to play a more direct game trying to offload in the tackle and get in behind the Vauxhall defensive line. After Logan had exchanged penalties with the Vauxhall Motors kicker the Medicals were to score their second try of the afternoon. Finally putting some phases together the visitors were able to set up camp in the Vauxhall twenty-two. Searching out the gaps, the Medicals sniped around the fringes hoping to catch the home defence off guard. Eventualy the pressure told as Will Melia was able to break to the right and, riding the cover tackle, pop the ball to Jeremy Bartosiak-Jentys on his right shoulder. The big prop had the simplest of tasks to fall, with all the grace of a felled giant redwood, over the tryline for his first try in a Medical's shirt. Logan was unable to add the extras from just left of the uprights.
The Medicals took the opportunity to rest James Sharples and Nick Farren who were replaced by Nick Thomas and Ruairidh Crawford respectively. This coupled with the Vauxhall Motors fly-half's unwaning determination to kick drop goals from any area of the field meant that the game rather petered out. Unfortunately, with both sides just waiting for the referee's final whistle knowing it was to be the game's last play, Gareth Walker suffered a knee injury which may well keep him out of next weeks crucial double header weekend against league leaders Stevenage Town on Saturday and Sunday's UH Cup final against GKT.
Jez
Many thanks to Sophie for making the long trip through the roadworks to provide physio cover.
Tim Hookway
Johnny Fisher-Price
Jeremy Bartosiak-Jentys
Peter O'Neill (C)
Chris Hallewell
Ed Pickles
Francois Tudor
Nick Farren
Martin Borthwick
Andy Harrison
Sam Codrington
James Logan
Gareth Walker
Suna Bull
James Sharples
Replacements:
Ruairidh Crawford (for No.8 after 70mins)
Will Melia (for No.6 after 40mins)
Nick Thomas (for No.9 after 55mins)
© Imperial Medicals Rugby Football Club 2008
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