Date: Sun 23rd Oct 2022

Time: 1.00pm

Match Report

We travelled to Chess Valley on Sunday to play a very welcoming and friendly team. Playing four quarters each week is helping us develop our game and enabling us to rotate all available players.

With eight players unavailable, eight players injured, two no shows this week, we effectively had left a team at a bit at home! Once we have all players available, we will have some serious competition for places in the squad.

The journey to Chess Valley was ominous, the grey clouds gathered, the rain opened up. Once we arrived, there was a break in the weather, we were able to warm up in the relatively dry. One the game started the heavens opened and the style of play needed adjustment.

First Half

Chess Valley were keen to get the game going, despite the rain and quickly got on the score sheet with a converted try 7-0.

From a turnover at the line out Harlow were quick to respond shifting the ball to Louis Fisher who scored for Harlow. Rhys Eynon missing the conversion out wide by only a few feet. 7-5.

It was Chess Valley’s turn to turn over the line out and bundle over. 12-5.

From a scrum our defensive line was slow to organise and push out as Chess Valley scored, converted quite magnificently. 19-5

Time for one more try to Chess Valley before half time. 24-5.

Half time 24 – 5.

In the second half, Harlow needed to keep it simple, the Harlow scrum was under pressure all morning and close play was needed to make ground.

Chess Valley were able to turn this scrum pressure into defensive pressure and cause havoc to Harlow who were on the back foot, turning over a lot of ball at the breakdown. This allowed Chess Valley to score two tries, one of which was converted. 36-5.

Harlow are not a side who give up, from a tap penalty Leo Johnson played Oscar Fulk who charged over the line. 36-10.   Rhys Eynon missed the conversion but was allowed to retake it because of an early charge down. Given a second attempt he slotted it.

Into the last quarter and Harlow were challenged to dig deep and show how they can play with passion. They did and if it wasn’t for an intercepted pass and a foot race, the whole quarter would have been in the Chess Valley 22. The breakaway try was converted by a fabulous kicker. 41-12

In the last moments of the match the forwards were knocking at the door and running hard at the line.  Grady Butler was able to get over the line, Rhys Eynon just failing with the conversion hitting the post. 43-17.

Work ons for next week. Scrum height and body position. Running lines

Final Score 43 – 17

Tries: Louis Fisher, Oscar Fulk, Grady Butler

Conversions: Rhys Eynon

Penalties: Not this week
Referee: Mike Lyons (Harlow)

Team
1. Oliver Davies, 2. Daniel Rolfe-Doyle (Sub Oscar Fulk), 3. Reigan Clarke, 4. Jacob Kearney, 5. Connor Hesler, 6. Sammy Keens, 7. Daniel Wood, 8. Grady Butler (c), 9. Leo Johnson (Sub Iestyn Owen), 10. Rhys Eynon, 11. Oliver Shaw (Sub Jayden Kempthorne Harris), 12. Jessie Collins, 13. Louis Fisher, 14. Jason Webb, 15. Eduard Turcu.