St Albans First Team
Match Reports
SAINTS SHOCKER GIFTS LETCHWORTH AN EARLY CHRISTMAS!Saturday 10th December 2005
St.Albans 6 Letchworth 15 .
free kazaa plus v2.7 downloadSaints welcomed back Letchworth Garden City RFC to Boggymead Spring on Saturday.The last contest ,rare in the last decade,was last season in a Herts President's Cup semi final which Saints won.
LGC RFC were founded in 1924 at the premises of a Mr Bolton.It was a very "dry" club for many years with no licensed premises because of the rather abstemious attitude of the local authorities.The Club and it's refreshments have since gone from strength to strength as your Match Reporter can testify first hand over more than 30 years! LGCRFC are well respected in the County having been winners or finalists of the Herts President's Cup several times over the years.The gap in playing standard between the two clubs has been narrowing for more than 2 decades such that today for the first time ever the two meet in a full League fixture -in the highly competitive Powergen London North 2.
Conditions were excellent for the League half way point of the season. No wind,7C and hazy sunshine brightening up a tacky pitch.
A Leinster man ,referee Mr Paul Nolan got the contest under way.
Letchworth kicked off towards the Oaklands end straight into Saints' 22 who promptly conceded a penalty. Letchworth kicked to the corner for an attacking 5 metre lineout.There followed a series of scrums and lineouts in this corner with Letchworth spilling the ball under good Saints defensive pressure and Saints clearing to their 10 metre line.Letchworth drove back to 5 metres of Saints' line and from a well worked attacking lineout Letchworth's No 10 scored a good try far out,unconverted.
On 6 minutes,Saints 0 Letchworth 5.
For the first time Saints entered Letchworth's half and Saints forward pressure forced a penalty 30 metres wide out missed by No10 Jack Stevenson.From the dropout Saints forced an attacking scrum on Letchworth's 22. Saints took a good heel then bungled the ensuing move by passing to nobody 10 metres behind the scrum.Letchworth swooped on the loose ball and just won the footrace to the Saints' line for an opportunist converted try.
On 12 minutes Saints 0 Letchworth 12.
It continued to be all Letchworth who forced yet another penalty just inside Saints' half. Saints' prop Danny Batchelor obstructed Letchworth's quick tap and was rightly yellow carded.
Saints' replacement prop Andy Weldon came on and did well for the next few scrums as Saints sacrificed a flanker.
Entering into the Christmas spirit ,generously begun by Saints,Letchworth missed the penalty,took their foot off the pedal and allowed Saints again into their half.
At last some Saints pick and drive yielded them a penalty. Letchworth added icing with dissent to the referee bringing the penalty into kickable range.
On 19 minutes,Jack Stevenson obliged from 35 metres to bring the score to Saints 3 Letchworth 12 with Saints still down to 14 men.
There was no further scoring in the rest of the half with the visitors having the better of the forward battle both in scrum and lineout,much of which they squandered due to efficient Saints defence ,compounded by the educated boot of Jack Stevenson (picture) gaining good territory at times.
On 35,37 and 39 minutes Letchworth, still having the best of it,had penalties in Saints half but did not really capitalise.
Half time score St.Albans 3 Letchworth 12.
Saints started the second half and for the next 10 minutes camped in Letchworth's half,the hits flying in not just from the giant forwards but from the backs too.
Hit of the Day,which made the 100 plus crowd by the Clubhouse audibly wince, was by Saints Aussie league prop Farren Mahoney on the Letchworth giant prop,"The Pie-Eater",which stopped all 20+ stone of him and the ball in it's tracks!
The pressure finally told with a Dan Hillier lineout catch and drive forcing a penalty 30 metres out. Jack Stevenson delivered the 3 points.
On 51 minutes ,it's game on at Saints 6 Letchworth 12.
Saints' coach Tim Andrews brought on backs David Mitchell and John Andrews to bolster the cause.
A midfield stalemate developed with Letchworth still having the edge up front but still spilling ball further out under pressure from the aggressive Saints offensive defence.
On 60 and 65 minutes Letchworth conceded more penalties but escaped and finally got into Saints' half.
On 69 minutes Letchworth had a penalty on Saints' 22 which they wasted by miskicking into touch in goal instead of gaining a 5 metre attacking lineout.
On 72 minutes Saints were off the hook again and drove back into Letchworth's half giving Jack Stevenson another difficult penalty chance from near half way which he missed.
A by now nervous Letchworth coach Bob Crooks was beginning to wonder if sitting on their lead,as they were, would be their ultimate undoing.
His men however tightened up their game and got into Saints 22 but were still wasting primary possession.On 82 minutes one last foray by Letchworth caused a Saints player to illegally shoulder tackle a Letchworth player head on to Saints posts 15 metres out for a penalty.
Letchworth kicked the 3 points to deservedly seal the game.
Final Score. St.Albans 6 Letchworth 15.
After the match a grim Saints Coach Tim Andrews gave his 18 men the dressing down of the season for a shocking home performance which was their worst of the season.Several players had not turned up in all or any senses of the word and needed to take a long hard look at themselves.He would not be taking any prisoners or excuses at training this week!
On the day,Letchworth had deservedly won, their massive pack providing the platform in the set pieces and their backs running in two tries,one well fought the other a 7 point Christmas gift from Saints.They squandered far too much quality primary possession and behind the scrum did not mix their options enough.But they won!
Neither side looked remotely like scoring a try after the first 15 minutes and didn't.
Saints' defence was often heroic and together with the strategic kicking of Jack Stevenson , they had managed a damage limitation exercise.
It was a sub standard Saints performance at home and training on Tuesday and Thursday this week will be ,as the Coach has warned, a humdinger!
I haven't seen a beasting at Saints for ages -the first team squad deserves it after last week !
St.Albans Team.
D.Batchelor, B.Lemiere, F.Mahoney, D.Hillier (captain), M.Davis, D.Callan, O.Cooper-Millar, J.Sayers, G.Day, J.Stevenson, E.Coy, M.Alderton, P.James, M.Kentish, M.Shaw, A.Weldon, D.Mitchell, J.Andrews.
St.Albans Scorer.
Penalties.Jack Stevenson (2).
Referee. Mr Paul Nolan of the Herts Referees Society.
Next Saturday Saints play their last game of the year with a visit to White City's Linford Christie Stadium to play London Nigerian in a return leg of the Powergen London North 2 League.