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Sat 13 Feb 2016 · London 2 South East
Men's 1st XVDeal & Betteshanger
Tries: B Flavell
5
17
First XV v Deal & Betteshanger
Cameron Robertson17 Feb 2016 - 11:57
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Tough conditions see Hove lose hard match.
Hove vs. Deal and Betteshanger (H)
After the early morning downpour, Hove’s game with Deal was moved to the second team pitch due to the stagnant water accumulating on the first team field. Having played on the same pitch in similar conditions against Beckhanem earlier in the season, Hove knew the game plan they would need to execute in order to get a win.
The Deal captain won the toss and chose to play with the slope in the first half. Hove kicked off and the Deal pack went about their business of picking and going around the fringes and using one off runners to great effect around the fringes of the rucks. After getting good front foot ball, the Deal 10 used his cultured right boot to pin Hove back into the corners.
After a sliced kick straight into touch from Rob Biggs, Deal had a lineout just outside the Hove ’22. With hooker and jumper in tandem, the ball worked its way to the back of the maul and the Deal 8 set about driving over the Hove line. With the slope helping their drive and the extra weight of the Deal backs joining the maul, they crossed for the score. Kick successful and Deal led 7-0.
From the kick-off Deal continued with their 10 man rugby and after a kick was not tidied up, the Deal winger toed the ball on, however Boyd Flavell arrived just in time to touch the ball down – scrum 5 Deal put in. Again with the gradient helping the Deal 8 and the Hove pack struggling to get a foothold as the pitch cut up, the Deal number 8 dotted down. Conversion missed and Deal led 12-0.
After a sliced clearance from the Deal 10, Hove for the first time in the game had good field position. Declan Peake found Carl Buckland with the lineout and the Hove 8 drove on. The ball was spun out to Martin Macdonald who did well to get over the game line. Again Deal infringed and the ball was kicked to touch, Peake again finding his jumper with ease in the tough conditions, this time it was Ian William rising highest. As the maul was set and the Hove 8 drove deep into the Deal 22, Hove looked to be going over for a well-deserved try only for Mike Robinson to break from the back of the maul and get stopped a metre from the line. Hove continued to batter the Deal line however the defence held firm and managed to win a penalty.
The half closed with Deal again driving from a lineout deep inside Hove territory, as the maul collapsed just short of the line, the Deal 9 put his blind side winger over in the corner. Conversion missed and Hove trailed 17-0 at the break, but knowing that they had the benefit of the slope for the next 40.
Straight from the Deal kick-off Hove kicked deep and pinned Deal back into their own half as had been done to them in the first 40. Buckland rose highest again to steal the Deal lineout and Hove pushed on, however the ball was lost in contact and Deal were able to clear their lines.
After some sustained pressure inside the Deal 22, Ian William managed to make a mess of a Deal ruck and kick the ball through. Chasing his kick to dot down, the ball ricocheted off the foot of the post and bounced clear, luckily however Boyd Flavell was on hand to scope the ball up and dot down. Conversion missed.
Hove continued to have the better share of possession however time and time again the ball was spilled in contact and possession turned over too easily. This was also the case in the midfield where Martin Macdonald and Sam Whiting failed to link up on numerous occasions – the pass either being given too late or the timing of the run that half second too early.
With the clock counting down, Hove were running the ball from everywhere, a neat chip from Phil Dugard was gathered by himself, however Deal did well to slow the ball down and the opportunity was lost. Guy Patton broke from deep and did well to find Martin Macdonald on the outside who in turn drew his man to find Bryn Garrish. As the Welshman outpaced his opposite man, his ball inside to Sam Whiting went to ground the chance of a losing bonus point was lost. Final score Hove 5 Deal 17.
A real game of two halves with the difference being Deal coming away with points every time they ventured into Hove’s 22. If Hove had looked after the ball better in contact and held on instead of forcing the offload the result could well have been different.
Hove travel to Beckhanem next week looking to do the double over the London side.
Man of the Match: Declan Peake for his outstanding darts at the lineout in the poor conditions. Credit also to his jumpers Carl Buckland and Ian William who ruled the air all afternoon.
Hove: Wallace, Peake, Shergold, Buckland, William, Ward, Henry, Robinson, Biggs, Dugard, Walker, Flavell, Macdonald, Patton, Whiting © Subs: Torres, Garrish
After the early morning downpour, Hove’s game with Deal was moved to the second team pitch due to the stagnant water accumulating on the first team field. Having played on the same pitch in similar conditions against Beckhanem earlier in the season, Hove knew the game plan they would need to execute in order to get a win.
The Deal captain won the toss and chose to play with the slope in the first half. Hove kicked off and the Deal pack went about their business of picking and going around the fringes and using one off runners to great effect around the fringes of the rucks. After getting good front foot ball, the Deal 10 used his cultured right boot to pin Hove back into the corners.
After a sliced kick straight into touch from Rob Biggs, Deal had a lineout just outside the Hove ’22. With hooker and jumper in tandem, the ball worked its way to the back of the maul and the Deal 8 set about driving over the Hove line. With the slope helping their drive and the extra weight of the Deal backs joining the maul, they crossed for the score. Kick successful and Deal led 7-0.
From the kick-off Deal continued with their 10 man rugby and after a kick was not tidied up, the Deal winger toed the ball on, however Boyd Flavell arrived just in time to touch the ball down – scrum 5 Deal put in. Again with the gradient helping the Deal 8 and the Hove pack struggling to get a foothold as the pitch cut up, the Deal number 8 dotted down. Conversion missed and Deal led 12-0.
After a sliced clearance from the Deal 10, Hove for the first time in the game had good field position. Declan Peake found Carl Buckland with the lineout and the Hove 8 drove on. The ball was spun out to Martin Macdonald who did well to get over the game line. Again Deal infringed and the ball was kicked to touch, Peake again finding his jumper with ease in the tough conditions, this time it was Ian William rising highest. As the maul was set and the Hove 8 drove deep into the Deal 22, Hove looked to be going over for a well-deserved try only for Mike Robinson to break from the back of the maul and get stopped a metre from the line. Hove continued to batter the Deal line however the defence held firm and managed to win a penalty.
The half closed with Deal again driving from a lineout deep inside Hove territory, as the maul collapsed just short of the line, the Deal 9 put his blind side winger over in the corner. Conversion missed and Hove trailed 17-0 at the break, but knowing that they had the benefit of the slope for the next 40.
Straight from the Deal kick-off Hove kicked deep and pinned Deal back into their own half as had been done to them in the first 40. Buckland rose highest again to steal the Deal lineout and Hove pushed on, however the ball was lost in contact and Deal were able to clear their lines.
After some sustained pressure inside the Deal 22, Ian William managed to make a mess of a Deal ruck and kick the ball through. Chasing his kick to dot down, the ball ricocheted off the foot of the post and bounced clear, luckily however Boyd Flavell was on hand to scope the ball up and dot down. Conversion missed.
Hove continued to have the better share of possession however time and time again the ball was spilled in contact and possession turned over too easily. This was also the case in the midfield where Martin Macdonald and Sam Whiting failed to link up on numerous occasions – the pass either being given too late or the timing of the run that half second too early.
With the clock counting down, Hove were running the ball from everywhere, a neat chip from Phil Dugard was gathered by himself, however Deal did well to slow the ball down and the opportunity was lost. Guy Patton broke from deep and did well to find Martin Macdonald on the outside who in turn drew his man to find Bryn Garrish. As the Welshman outpaced his opposite man, his ball inside to Sam Whiting went to ground the chance of a losing bonus point was lost. Final score Hove 5 Deal 17.
A real game of two halves with the difference being Deal coming away with points every time they ventured into Hove’s 22. If Hove had looked after the ball better in contact and held on instead of forcing the offload the result could well have been different.
Hove travel to Beckhanem next week looking to do the double over the London side.
Man of the Match: Declan Peake for his outstanding darts at the lineout in the poor conditions. Credit also to his jumpers Carl Buckland and Ian William who ruled the air all afternoon.
Hove: Wallace, Peake, Shergold, Buckland, William, Ward, Henry, Robinson, Biggs, Dugard, Walker, Flavell, Macdonald, Patton, Whiting © Subs: Torres, Garrish
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