Medway RFC Cougars

Sunday 27 September 2009

Medway 20 - Sittingbourne 19

Try: Brown, Chalmers, Irons

Con: Gowdy

Pen: Stone

Cougars Squad:

We are grateful to Sittingbourne for filling a gap in the Cougars calendar by coming to Priestfields for a development match. We agreed to play three thirty minute periods to give all of the squad players some field time, and on this beautifully sunny Sunday morning we were treated to a well fought, evenly matched ninety minutes of rugby.

The first session started with Sittingbourne putting the Medway defence under a lot of pressure but some solid defence and good tackling kept them out. A scrum at half way then saw Tom Brown pick up from the back and make good ground. The move broke down and Sittingbourne kicked clear but Luke Murray collected and returned with a penetrating run. The ball fell to Luca Syplywczac who chipped over the defence into the corner but the backs couldn't capitalise. Medway took the game to Sittingbourne for the next few minutes and it took some solid defence to keep them out with Medway being held up on the line before the pressure told and Brown pushed over. Dan Stone's conversion attempt was just wide. The game swung to Sittingbourne after the kick off and it took an excellent, long kicked clearance from Murray to relieve the pressure. Sittingbourne pushed back and won a penalty about 20 metres out and decided to kick for goal but were unsuccessful. During the session Luke Gowdy made a lot of ground with supporting runs and Ben Wellard put in some good hard tackles.

At the beginning of the second session Sittingbourne broke through the back line at speed but Murray stood his ground watching the run and making a well timed saving tackle. Sittingbourne continued to push forward and the Medway backs were sucked into the scrum allowing Sittingbourne to spread the ball wide from the break and score on the wing. The try was converted to give Sittingbourne a 7-5 lead. The kick off was uncharacteristically sliced but Medway, not for the first time in the game, turned over the resultant scrum. A couple of good runs from Charlie Wardzynski made ground but Sittingbourne fought back. They won a penalty and again decided to kick for goal, this time at about 25m but again failed to convert. Lifting in the line-outs has been introduced this season and Medway were working it well (when the throw was straight) with Jack Johnston stealing a lot of the Sittingbourne throws. The next period of play was a little scrappy with some loose passing and missed tackles but Wardzynski broke the mould with a low kick which was well chased with Connor Chalmers eventually taking it over. Gowdy converted to make the score at the end of the second period 12-7 in Medway's favour.

The third session was more physical with some late and high tackles on evidence and the pressure bagan to tell with both teams so obviously evenly matched. A kicked clearance from Sittingbourne bounced well for them and they took the ball through to score. The try was very well converted from a difficult angle putting Sittingbourne 14-12 in the lead. Wardzynski's kicking was back to its normal high standard and he collected a clever chip and chase, feeding the ball to the wing where Chalmers was stopped just short. Medway continued to pressure, Max Fenton driving through from a scrum and Harrison Irons carried over. Stone's conversion attempt hit the post so the Medway lead was just three points. This was quickly turned over however as Sittingbourne spread the ball wide, Medway missed tackles allowing a score in the corner. This went unconverted so Sittingbourne now led by two. The game was well balanced as it had been throughout and could have gone either way but Medway snatched victory with Stone kicking a fine penalty from a good 30m out. The last minute was tense but there was no further score, Medway coming out on top but only just. The final score 20-19.

(Match Report by Pete Kennedy)

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