St Albans First Team
Match Reports
SAINTS GAIN LEAGUE DOUBLE OVER HADLEIGH- THE HARD WAYSaturday 28st January 2006
Saints made the long coach journey to Hadleigh in Suffolk for just the second time ever but this time in a return Powergen London North 2 League fixture.Saints beat Hadleigh at home in the first leg by 46 to 19 last October but both clubs need a win today to help stave off relegation-both being in the bottom 4 of their League.Saints are on a roll at the moment with recent hard fought wins over Old Albanians and Wimbledon. Saints,unbeaten since mid- December will strive to keep it that way with a first ever win at Hadleigh and a League double.
473302Conditions were good for January with brilliant sunshine,5C and a cold north-easterly wind blowing straight down a firm ,well kept pitch.
Hadleigh kicked off from the northerly end into the winter sunshine, John Sayers gathering and running the ball back from his 22.Both sides sounded the other out with scrums and a lineout going with put in until on 4 minutes Hadleigh were awarded a penalty for Saints offside.Head on to the posts and 30 metres out ,Hadleigh’s South African scrum Half No 9 Craig Burrows kicked a good wind-assisted 3 points.
On 6 minutes from a Hadleigh scrum ,Saints’ hooker Brenton Lemiere took the first of 3 against the head during the match,but Saints promptly lost it.From the ensuing scrum Hadleigh spun the ball quickly to their left their powerful No13 bursting clean through Saints’ backline defence at pace feeding winger and full back in the line for a fine unexpected try in the corner,unconverted.
From the restart Saints arrived at Hadleigh’s 22 for a lineout. Hadleigh’s hooker threw in, his foot infield, to give Saints a free kick which they squandered.Hadleigh escaped using the wind well to get back into Saints’ half where Saints’ full back Joe Shaw ran it out of defence but gifted a penalty to Hadleigh head on to the posts 24 metres out for holding on in the tackle.
From the dropout ,Saints applied some pressure gaining a lineout just inside Hadleigh’s half.Captain Dan Hillier took a textbook catch at the front and there then followed the monumental drive of the season as the whole pack,”Godfather” led, went on a rumbling straight drive. As they crossed Hadleigh’s 22 the 8 were joined by wingers Ed Coy and James Dickinson plus scrum half Gareth Day (picture 1).The 11 tractored forward in the Suffolk turf for an unstoppable, memorable 40 metre try scored by No 8 John Sayers,unconverted.
On 17 minutes Hadleigh 11 Saints 5.
Saints were now in the ascendancy with wing James Dickinson breaking out over half way- the move ending in a Saints scrum on Hadleigh’s 10 metre line.Quick Saint’s scrummage ball was moved open straight down the line ,No13 Mark Kentish making 20 metres before he showed the faintest of dummies outside then ghosted past Hadleigh’s full back on the 22 to score a fine maiden try under the posts for his new club ,which he converted himself.
Saints lead was shortlived as they took their foot off the pedal and allowed Hadleigh back into the game and their half.
On 28 minutes Saints’ league prop gifted Hadleigh another penalty head on to their posts,this becoming a bad habit now, for not tackling with the arms . Another fine penalty kick by Hadleigh’s No 9 restored their lead.
On 29 minutes Hadleigh 14 Saints 12.
From the restart ,Hadleigh immediately pulled down a drive ,giving Saints’ Mark Kentish a difficult penalty chance wide out on the hosts’ 22,which he missed.
Quickthinking Hadleigh now caught Saints napping with a huge snap wind-assisted long dropout giving Saints a lineout on their 22.Saints caught and drove to half way before turning the ball over Hadleigh sending up a Garyowen which Joe Shaw knocked on then held onto in the tackle gifting Hadleigh yet another penalty head on to the posts.
No surprise as Hadleigh’s Craig Burrows made it 4 from 4 to put Hadleigh further ahead.
On 35 minutes Hadleigh 17 Saints 12.
From the Saints’ restart Hadleigh, using the wind effectively,pumped the ball back into Saints’ 22 where Saints’ County fullback Joe Shaw repeated exactly the same folly of running the ball out and being penalised for holding on in exactly the same spot as a minute earlier! Christmas had arrived as early as January as Hadleigh’s No 9 kicked No 5 from 5 to make it Hadleigh 20 Saints 12 on 37 minutes.
Your Match Reporter runs an expletive free,family friendly column for a worldwide readership . I cannot report the language of Saints’ travelling supporters on the touchline after what they had just witnessed !
At the break,a grim faced Saints’ coach Tim Andrews addressed his squad after their worst 40 minutes of the season-including the Letchworth debacle.Atrocious discipline and decision making had gifted Hadleigh 15 penalty points eclipsing two memorable Saints’ tries, the pack going well and setting the platform.Saints knew what to do but would they switch on and execute the plan?