Date: Sun 29th Jan 2023

Time: 2:00pm

Match Report

We hosted Chess Valley this week in a friendly game.  The weather was overcast but dry.

Members of our squad who were not playing today joined to support the team and a big thank you, Ben Taylor who also ran touch for us. We picked up a few injuries today and a special thank you to Cameron Chambers from Chess Valley who helped Harlow out as we ran out of substitutes.

The Harlow team as re-jigged at the last minute including late call ups to the squad as a few people weren’t able to attend with limited notice.

First Half

We started very well with great tempo in both our attack and our defence. Harlow had strong opening twenty minutes and a strong finish to the half.

Chess Valley managed to score four unconverted tries in their purple patch from scrum break and then a pick and go and. From a break from deep. Then two from tap and go penalties.

Half time 0 – 20.

The half time team talked reflected that we have been playing fairly well but getting sloppy at the break down not securing the ball enabling us to retain it. None the less the spirit in the team and the work rate was great and needed to continue.

The second half started well then dropped off as the reorganisation due to the injuries we picked up.

Chess Valley scored three well worked tries in the second half two of which were converted from difficult positions. The scored out wide from a good move. From our clearance where they caught and ran back at us and another from short range.

Final Score 0 – 44

The score line doesn’t really reflect the game, Harlow put in a lot of hard work today. Keeping that up will increase our chances of winning games in the future.

Man of the Match: Jake Lancaster who put  – excellent work rate throughout
Special mention: Jessie Collins for making about a hundred great tackles I it was close run thing between him and Jake, but Jake won out as he took on Chess Valley in the doughnut eating competition, which Jake then won! Special mention for Ed Turcu for making a cracking dump tackle and Jayden Kempthon Harris for also stepping up making tackles having been called into the squad at the last minute
Donkey of the match: Rhys Eynon for not turning up fit to play and coming off early.

Tries: Not this week
Conversions: Not this week
Penalties: Not this week
Referee(s): Kevin Allum, Independent, Essex Society

Team
1.Sammy Keens, 2. Oscar Fulk, 3. Stanley Dennis, 4. Nickerson Said, 5. Louis Kasket, 6. Jake Lancaster, 7. Jacob Kearney, 8. Daniel Wood, 9. Leo Johnson, 10. Will Lyons (c), 11. Jessie Collins, 12. Henry Bolton, 13. Louis Fisher, 14. Ed Turcu, 15. Rhys Eynon.

Subs: Iestyn Owen, Adam Leamon, Jayden Kempthorne Harris. All played at least half a game.