|
||||||||
| SITTINGBOURNE 16 VIGO 6 |
|
|
|
| Written by Kelly Ackary | |
| Sunday, 28 February 2010 | |
|
Vigo , still struggling to raise a side, came so close to an upset in an entertaining match, full of incident, good rugby and human error.
The home side started strongly but for the opening quarter never got into the Vigo half as a combination of good defence and poor handling kept Sittingbourne at bay. The scrum, lurching back alarmingly at times, gave Sittingbourne some confidence, but they tended to undo all their good work with needless penalties, allowing Dan Norton to constantly peg them back with some excellent line kicking. Stuart Spiers and Andy Wilford were quickly on the ball to turn Sittingbourne with some tapped penalties, but the home defence proved resolute, as indeed they were for the whole match. Then after Norton had missed a long penalty, Sittingbourne struck. At last entering Vigo’s half, they were awarded a penalty which Mark Penney slotted for the opening score. Vigo immediately fought back, but a failing that was to haunt them all match, proved their undoing. Too often the excellent Sittingbourne back row beat their opposite numbers to the breakdown, to provide decent ball. Vigo lost the ball on the ‘Bourne 22 and Rob McNamara stormed off through the Vigo defence and made huge inroads into Vigo territory. Desperate covering stopped the immediate threat but at the expense of an attacking lineout for the home side. A catch and drive sucked in the Vigo defence before McNamara finished what he had started by blasting over. Excellent chasing of Norton’s searching kicking put Sittingbourne under pressure and gave Vigo a glimpse of the ‘Bourne line, but could not breach the defensive ramparts. Gaining parity at the scrum, Vigo drove hard for the line but in quick succession Wilford and Higgins were held on the line before the half time whistle blew. Norton finally put Vigo on the board with a penalty 10 minutes into the half, but McNamara celebrated his 21st birthday with another storming run through some pusillanimous tackling immediately after. Vigo’s line out was not functioning at all with the ‘Bourne’s Matt Fender enjoying a good game, so it was with some surprise that Vigo eschewed kicks at goal in favour of a kick into the corner going for a try. Perhaps constant chipping away at the lead with three pointers may have been more in order, as there seemed to be ample opportunities so often did the home side concede penalties. The excellent referee, Mike Emson, fair and firm must have had his patience tried as the ‘Bourne carried on transgressing, and finally Norton took a three pointer to bring Vigo to within a converted try of their hosts. With fifteen minutes to go Vigo threw everything but the alleged kitchen sink at Sittingbourne. Apparently kitchen sinks are banned from the field of play, so Vigo just threw their bodies at the ‘Bourne defence. Spiers snaffled a loose ball at the base of a disrupted scrum and went hard at the line, backed up by his colleagues but was again held on the line as was Mark Grassick soon after, as Vigo mounted wave upon wave of attacks. Sittingbourne’s defence proved equal to the task. Perhaps, Vigo might have spread the ball wide, but it’s a lot easier to say that from the touchline, than when you have a sniff of the white line in the heat of battle. Gradually Vigo out of power and a late Penney penalty sealed the match and the points for Sittingbourne. Team: J.Weller; O.Jarman (rep: M.Grassick), J.Caton, R.Hayes, D.Bennett; D.Norton, S.Spiers; M.Thorogood, A.Higgins, P.Hayward; A.Wilford (capt.), D.Couchman; J.Knight, C.Hayward; D.Dunn Replacement (not used) J.Miles Referee : M.Emson (Kent) Man of the Match. Sittingbourne’s Rob McNamara, captain for the day on his 21st birthday, and leading his side from the front. Dean Gaunt and Matt Fender in the home back row offered great support. For Vigo, once again, Dan Norton played extremely well, with Pete Hayward and Rob Hayes mentioned in despatches. Tony’s view: The patched up side started slowly, and the line out really did not function all match. We were too slow to the breakdown and support was equally slow, so to be held on the line three times was most encouraging. But we could not break down an excellent ‘Bourne defence. GOM’s view: Vigo played extremely well in patches, but too often let themselves down with needless errors. With more commitment from the players, there can be no reason why next season will be less successful. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
