Chiswick Pass Chess Test

Chess Valley 17  Chiswick 27

Chiswick, relieved to be playing in the sun, were still given a stiff test by a Chess Valley team who belied their league position with a game plan that nearly worked.

Chess slotted an early penalty, after a charged down kick had almost led to a breakaway try for the home team, but Chiswick responded with a try when Simon Slattery, in turn, charged down a clearance kick from a Keith Luckman chip down the wing. Luckman converted.

The Chiswick scrum was creaking a bit, but the lineouts were generally tidy and with scrum-half Ian Walker in fine form the visitors had plenty of chances. However, a beautiful grubber kick down the blindside of a scrum on the Chiswick 22 led to a well-worked try for the home team, which was converted.

After both teams were temporarily reduced to 14 players, Chess used the strength of their No 8 to force a try from a tapped penalty ten metres out, again converted.

The second half brought a change in the Chiswick tactics, but only after Chess should have scored, the final pass being just forward. Chiswick winger Dan Coffey came into the middle and made a bullocking break, carried on by Al Fraser and Mark Jones, with Slattery touching down near the corner. After Luckman had kicked a penalty, most of the Chiswick team got involved in another break culminating in a hat-trick try for Slattery, the final pass coming from Coffey.

Another break by Coffey, followed by hopeful kicks, well-caught by Slattery and then Kelvin Campbell, led to the ball going straight across the pitch, where Fraser made a dash down the wing. A couple of tackles and quick passes off the ground later, and Fraser got the ball back to carve his way to the posts. Luckman had no problems with the kick. Desperate attempts by Chess to get back into the game failed, as Chiswick held on for a vital win.

Chiswick team :- Donaldson, Elliott, Campbell, Hood, Williams, Vinden ( Robbings ), Maguire, Chraplewczyk ( Nichols ), Walker ( Blackman ), Luckman, Slattery, Fraser, Jones, Coffey, Hammond

April 4, 2005