Date: Sat 17th Feb 2018

Time: 3.00pm

Match Report

A Harlow scoring spurt in the final 25 minutes allowed them to come away with a reasonable looking scoreline. However Woodford’s dominance in the preceding half hour put them too far ahead for the home side to catch up.

Problems with player availability meant that Harlow had restrictions on team selection. Although all of the squad have had previous 1st XV experience a number of them played out of position and this may have been the reason the squad took time to settle.

The first then minutes was cut and thrust play and although both teams had possession Woodford had the best of the territory and on 13 minutes took the lead with a converted try. The pattern continued until on 26 minutes Harlow had a sequence of rucks and from one of these fly Half Danny Smith made a break to score a try under the posts which he converted to level the game at 7 points all. A defensive error allowed Woodford to break away for an unconverted try and to go in for half time with a 7 – 12 lead.

Early into the second half Smith slotted a good penlty to close the margin to 10 – 12. For just a minute it looked as if Harlow were back in the game but then in not much more than 10 minutes Woodford responded with three converted tries to establish a dominant lead of 10 points to 33. Going into the final quarter Harlow countered with a driving maul allowing prop Adam Seeley to go over for a Harlow try. Finally in the closing minutes Harlow countered with tries from Karl Rodell, Danny Smith and in the final minute one from full back Ross Stalley. It shows that although Harlow are losing games the margins are within reach.

Tries: Danny Smith (2), Adam Seeley, Karl Rodell, Ross Stalley.

Conversions: Danny Smith (3).

Penalty: Danny Smith

Team: 1. Adam Seeley, 2. Martin Mallia, Scott Stalley, 4. Karl Rodell, 5. Robert Treamer, 6. Shaun Roberts (Capt.), 7. James Clark, 8. Ryan Clark, 9. Alfie Clark, 10. Danny Smith, 11. Ryan McGlone, 12. Chay Clark, 13. Scott Whitby, 14. Will Grimley. 15. Ross Stalley, 16. Jack Christy, 17. Dale Stalley, 18. Charlie Woodington.

Harlow 1st XV have a weekend break before they are at home to undefeated league leaders Rochford. They still hold on to their 5th place in the league as a result of their strong performance in the first half of the season and have enough points to hold on to it on the next league weekend. However if they want to finish the season at this level they will have to lift their game. They showed last week in their cup defeat of Wanstead that they have the potential. If thy had produced the determined defence they showed in that game the Woodford result may have been different.

Last Saturday Harlow Saints (3rd team) were at home to Runwell Wyverns and produced a 43 – 5 win. They are at home this Saturday to Kings Cross Steelers kicking off at 2pm; spectators are welcome.