Saints travelled to Chiswick next to the River Thames to play one of the oldest rugby clubs in the World .Founded in 1863 Civil Service Football Club (Rugby Union) are one of just 8 of the original clubs still in existence at the foundation of the RFU in 1871.Civil have been at their present Duke's Meadow site since 1926 and their art deco premises and setup are a reminder to all of a bygone era of amateur Rugby Union fast disappearing . Saints have never beaten Civil in we believe 5 league meetings,home or away,over the last few years.By some secret mechanism Saints have pulled themselves up on Civil's coat tails from two lower leagues in the last few years ,a year or 2 behind.
seriennummer Nero 60019Having lost to Civil by 24-5 in October no one gives the Boggymead Boys much chance on the road as the second in the League hosts push Shelford,currently top dog, for automatic League promotion. Can Saints do as their Herts neighbours Letchworth did recently and turn the hosts over in their own illustrious backyard?
Conditions were excellent for late February , 8C hazy sunshine no wind and a well kept pitch.
Referee Mr Rich Whelan, on a rail awayday from Doncaster ,got the contest under way in front of a lively crowd of around 70 VP's and supporters from both clubs many well stoked up with some fine pre-match wining and dining.
Saints kicked off towards the approach road end Civil running it back.Much to and fro for a few minutes Civil finally catching the visitors offside . A well drilled Civil penalty kick gave them an attacking lineout 10 metres from Saints' line.Saints forced a scrum from the line out but conceded a penalty.Quick thinking Civil No 9 took a quick tap carried on by their heavy mobile pack who slipped it to an unstoppable 20 stone Samoan prop ,Jeremiah Fatiolofa for the first try of the game half way out-unconverted.
On 6 minutes Civil 5 Saints 0.
Civil continued their massive early pressure,stealing a Saints' lineout, but their tall No 21 centre overcooked a 60 metre kick over Saints' deadball line for a scrum back.The penalty offences were now coming thick and fast by both sides,Civil for crossing then Saints for taking a man out.On 10 minutes Referee Whelan spoke to both captains- a total of 3 times in the first half about this- also pointing to his pocket!
Saints' second row Mark Davis (picture 1),supported by prop Brent Green and No 8 John Sayers,showed a classic Saints lineout take at the tail,Civil floundering.
For nearly 14 more minutes Saints camped in Civil's half -the hosts taking one against the head then losing it.Another wigging from Mr Whelan fell on deaf ears and on 20 minutes Civil's captain No 7 Gethyn Deakins went to the sinbin for over the top 10 metres from his tryline.
From an attacking 5 metre lineout ,Saints were robbed by a streetwise diminished Civil backrow as the visitors rolled a maul towards the tryline.
On 22 minutes after an injury break ,Civil were penalised plus an extra 10 metres for not retreating 10 metres .
Saints' No 13 Mark Kentish missed the penalty head on to the posts on Civil's 22.
From the dropout ,Civil regained the ball and one huge clearance by their tall centre took all the pressure off them to 15 metres from Saints' line.
Civil had escaped the Saints' onslaught unscathed and now attacked gifting the ball to No 10 Jack Stevenson on his 22. He put in siege gun clearance of the year so far forcing a lineout 15 metres from Civil's line-a 60 + metre howitzer!
On 33 minutes Civil chipped ahead wing Joe Shaw going well again today on the counter supported by captain Dan Hillier who drove back but the move foundered.
On 36 minutes Civil's No 5 won a good lineout 25 metres out from Saints line forwards and backs mixing and driving then their giant Samoan prop powering over for his second try near the posts ,converted.
On 37 minutes Civil 12 Saints 0.
The half finished with Civil stealing another Saints lineout and strategically firing a good 50 metre downfield touchfind to show that smart ,age old Percentage Rugby is still literally alive and kicking !
Half Time Score. Civil Service 12 St.Albans 0.
Civil started the second half a midfield stalemate developing before sloppy Civil passing gave Saints the ball- back rows David Mitchell and Richard Louw driving it on but the counterattack again foundered.Civil's No 7 captain now had a storming 50 metre run through most of the Saints' side before forcing an attacking lineout 5 metres from Saints' line.
On 46 minutes the critical score of the game arrived,good Civil off the top lineout ball by their No 5, the pack in support and the No 8 scores an armchair try -unconverted.
On 47 minutes Civil 17 Saints 0.
Rather like last week,Saints were stung now they had a mountain to climb and everyone had a crack. Mahoney ,Lemiere ,Shaw,Alderton and Day all mixed it up with a pick and drive eventually forcing a penalty against Civil on their 22- head on to the posts .
Mark Kentish (picture 2) got Saints on the board at last.
On 50 minutes Civil 17 Saints 3.
Saints' substitute prop Tony Giddings came on for Aussie Farren Mahoney -he'd done well against the mighty Civil front row !
Saints were now penalised for driving up in the scrum on their 22. Civil take control and their time to kick an easy 3 points.
On 53 minutes Civil 20 Saints 3.
On 55 minutes flanker Dave Callan (picture 3) came on for David Mitchell .
Near half way hooker Brenton Lemiere took another against the head but Saints rapidly lost the ball as Civil's backrow went for the jugular quickly driving it on the counter.
In no time Saints had given another penalty away on their 22 again for offside.
Civil were in no hurry to add yet 3 more points but on 57 minutes it's Civil 23 Saints 3.
At the restart Saints retrieved the wherewithal they clearly had left behind in St.Albans and decided rather late to go into typical Alban heroic mode.Flanker Richard Louw snapped up a loose ball feeding Jack Stevenson 10 metres out for centre Mark Kentish to score full tilt next to Civil's posts-converted by himself.
On 59 minutes Civil 23 Saints 10.
The next 10 minutes saw a midfield stalemate littered with injuries ,substitutions and knock ons.Referee Whelan played a very long advantage for more multiple Civil offside culminating in a penalty to Saints 30 metres out head on to the posts.
Mark Kentish kicked an excellent 3 points so on 70 minutes it's Civil 23 Saints 13. Substitute James Dickinson now came on for John Andrews who had had a fairly quiet but solid day at full back making the hard yards on the hoof but using the boot wisely as well.
Civil restarted and had the chance to kill the game off with an attacking 5 metre scrum.But by now it was the Civil scrum that was creaking ,South African Lemiere taking his third and last strike against the head of the game.This signalled a magnificent Saints cavalry charge both wings Ed Coy and Joe Shaw in concert plus "JD" Dickinson up in the line - the move foundering on Civil's 22.