Rugby Result - Chiswick 32 UCS Old Boys 6
An almost flawless display by the home team made their league position impossible to believe. From the early inroads cut into the opposition by forwards and threes to the clinical finishing, this performance was a revelation. At long last they played like a team well worth a place in the London League.
For thirteen minutes the game was even, but then centre Mark Jones pounced on a ball gone loose after a UCS knock-on, and raced 70 metres to score under the posts, Keith Luckman converting. Having exposed the UCS weakness in defence, Chiswick were suddenly on fire, and winger Dan Coffey made a couple of searing breaks, finding full-back Lewis Hammond outside him on the second one. Hammond scored easily, and Luckman added the points. Chiswick kept the foot down, and within minutes, multiple-phase possession provided centre Tom Lovell with a sight of the line. He was held up, but managed to feed Hammond coming round behind him, the fullback racing over in the corner. This time the wind foiled Luckman.
On the half-hour UCS finally put together a good move, and a high tackle gave their fly half a chance to reduce the deficit. He obliged, and shortly kicked a second, as the visitors used the wind to pressurise the Chiswick defence. The Chiswick props now became prominent, with Shane Donaldson making a penetrating break, and then Kelvin Campbell getting back fast to make an essential tackle in defence. It was winger Adrian Lewis who set up the next try, with a break down the wing, followed by an inch-perfect cross kick for Jones.
The second half was anti-climactic, Chiswick relaxing with the wind behind them, and UCS waiting for the final whistle. Luckman successfully practiced his drop-kicking to add three points, and then things got silly, with UCS trying to run the ball from their line. In the end, inevitably, Chiswick got the ball, and it was Lewis who scored on the overlap.
Chiswick team :- Donaldson ( Johnson ), Pickering, Campbell, Hood, Williams, Chraplewczyk, Maguire, Vinden ( Robbings ), Walker, Luckman, Coffey, Lovell T, Jones, Lewis, Hammond ( Lovell J )
March 14, 2005
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