Brentwood RFC
Match Report – Saturday 3 October 2009
Woodford 34 - Brentwood 21

These teams had not played each other in a league fixture since the inception of the league structure so it was unfamiliar opposition for both sides. Changes from the previous week saw Beith at scrum half, Pickworth making his club debut for the injured King and Ambrose starting at hooker in place of Bowyer who was unavailable. For the first time this season the sun was not shining for the kick off but there was a strong breeze which was to the advantage of the home team in the first half.

The referee’s whistle was soon to the fore as Woodford conceded a penalty in the first minute. The visitors were unable to clear from their half and were caught offside. Brentwood knocked on at the ensuing line out and, from the resultant scrum, the Woodford winger sliced through the Brentwood defence to score a try under the posts. Surprisingly the conversion was missed but the visitors were 5-0 down after only 3 minutes.
Roman made a great catch from the kick off but was injured in the act. Brentwood pressed ahead but continued to make errors including losing a scrum against the head which allowed the home side to clear the ball downfield and place the visitors under pressure. Desperate defence saw Bentwood hold out but after 13 minutes a Woodford catch and drive from a line out resulted in a try for the home side which was converted to put them 12-0 ahead.

Again the visitors carried the ball upfield and, after a good period of sustained possession, Bevans-Royston crashed over to put the visitors on the scoreboard, Green adding the extras with a touchline conversion – 12-7 after 21 minutes. Brentwood were more than matching the home side up front and used this possession to contain Woodford and to move the ball upfield. However after 30 minutes Woodford broke out and, with a blatant forward pass missed by the referee, were able to break through the Brentwood defence for a converted try under the posts to increase their lead to 19-7.

After 34 minutes Roman was injured again and was replaced by Cadby. The visitors continued to make ball handling errors and were increasingly falling foul of the referee in a number of technical areas. After 38 minutes yet another penalty for a technical scrummage offence saw a quick Woodford penalty spun put to their right winger to score an unconverted try in the corner to make the half time score 24-7 to Woodford.

By the start of the second half the wind had all but disappeared. Brentwood took the game to the home side from the kick off. The pressure was maintained despite further errors and after 6 minutes of the half Woodford conceded a penalty near their try line. Strangely the referee did not reach for the yellow card but Brentwood opted for a scrum and Beith scored a try, again well converted by Green, to narrow the gap to 24-14.

Again Brentwood ran the ball back from the kick off and again fell foul of the referee for a technical scrummage offence, to the bafflement of both sets of spectators. The third quarter of the game saw Brentwood’s efforts thwarted by errors and the whistle of the referee. After 23 minutes of the half Cadby was sin binned for a ruck offence and the hill Brentwood had to climb became even steeper. Within 2 minutes Brentwood conceded a penalty in front of their posts for handling in the ruck. Every 50/50decision was going Woodford’s way and the penalty was converted to rake them 27-14 ahead. From the kick off Brentwood moved upfield but another forward pass went unpunished and the Woodford backs swept downfield to score a converted try in the corner to extend their lead to 34-14 after 28 minutes of the half. Turner replaced the injured Solomons.

Within 3 minutes of the restart the players’ frustration boiled over and the resultant skirmish resulted in Pickwoth being sin binned, along with Gooday of Woodford. The pattern of the game continued with Brentwood taking the game to the opposition but making errors when in the danger zone. Cadby returned to the field having done his time in the sin bin and the Brentwood pressure continued. After 36 minutes Beith put in a beautiful kick to the corner and Cowan scored, Green again adding the conversion – 34-21.

Yet again the visitors came back at Woodford and put them under pressure in their 22. However this pressure came to nought as the referee blew up having allowed no injury or stoppage time in the second half. A difficult game for Brentwood which exposed how dangerous it is to make basic errors at this level. More attention to basics will be needed in the weeks ahead.

Team:
Northall, Ambrose, Bevans-Royston, Killington, Woodcock, Metcalfe (C), Roman, Pickworth, Beith, Stannard, Lloyd, Wyatt, Green, Cowen, Solomons.

Next week sees Brentwood at home to Eton Manor in a London Division One (North) league fixture.