Date: Sat 6th Jan 2018
Time: 3.00pm
Match Report
With the first League game after the Christmas break both teams teams looked rusty & with a wet pitch both sides were struggling to keep hold off the ball.
Old Cooperians started to apply pressure from the kick off and kept Harlow encamped inside their 22 metre line. With 11 minutes gone Old Cooperians exploited a defensive error by Harlow and scored the first try for a 5 – 0 lead.
Harlow replied straight away with a break from full back Dodd’s giving a pass to the supporting winger Ryan McGlone to score Harlow’s first try. Kicking from a greasy surface Smith was on line for the posts but just short with the conversion.
Being level seemed to encourage Harlow to take play to the visitors. A succession of Harlow scrummages allowed wing forward Weston to power over for Harlow’s second try.
Fly half Smith punished Old Cooperians for not releasing the ball and slotted a penalty just before half time making the half time score 13 – 5.
For the first 20 minutes of the second half Harlow found themselves defending against Old Cooperians in midfield. Harlow defence held out and 30 minutes into the half they were rewarded with a penalty . Smith slotted the kick between the posts extending Harlow’s lead to 16 – 5. In the closing minutes Cooperians kept Harlow pinned back in their own 22. Harlow defended well and it looked as though they would hold out but then with 5 minutes to go Harlow were penalised for bringing down Old Cooperians advancing scrum . The referee awarded a penalty try making the score 16 – 12.
Harlow realised that it would only take an unconverted try to reverse the result. From the kick off they threw the whole team into a the attack beating Cooperians for possession and driving them back deep into their own half where an infringement gave Harlow a penalty. Danny Smith kicked for touch to end what had been a close and hard fought game.
Harlow can be pleased to get their first win of 2018 which keeps them in 5th place in the league. This week they are away to fourth placed Norwich and will have to list their game to counter the home advantage.
Tries: Ryan McGlone, Michael Weston
Penalties: Danny Smith (2)
Team: 1. Mark Bowering, 2. Howard Tyler, Jack Christie, 4. Karl Rodell, 5. Rob Treamer, 6. Shaun Roberts, 7. James Clark, 8. Michael Weston, 9. Charlie Woodington, 10. Danny Smith, 11. Ryan McGlone, 12. Chay Clark, 13, Scott Whitby, 14. Rhys Whitby 15. Matthew Dodds, 16. Scott Stalley, 17. Adam Seeley, 18. Wayne Heapy.