Medway RFC Cougars

Sunday 7 February 2010

Medway 55 - Ashford 12

Tries: Reynolds, Brown 4, Wellard, Stewart, Fenton, Wardzynski

Con: Stone (3), Gowdy (2)

Cougars Squad:

Ashford played a good competitive game today and didn't really deserve to lose by 40 plus points. Medway's quick start amd dominance of the first half coupled with Ashford's failure to capitalise on their breaks contributed to the convincing score line.

Medway kicked off and put pressure on Ashford's defence from the start. The first drive ending in a 10 metre line out. Medway won the line out and Liam Fitzpatrick drove over with the packs support but there were too many bodies and a 5 metre scrum was awarded. Tom Brown picked up from number 8 and made good ground, the ball from the breakdown was fed well through the backs and Connor Reynolds scored on the wing. The drive from the kick off was impressive with some good handling and powerful work in the forwards which culminated in Brown breaking through to score with Dan Stone converting for 12-0.

Ashford pressed forward but couldn't make ground and relied on the boot for yardage but their kicks were going long, carefully watched by Fergus Stewart playing full back. There were some good moves through the forwards with Tom Whitnall putting in some good tackles and runs. The Ashford pressure was ended when a scrum on Medway's 22 was picked up by Cougar's scrum half Ben Wellard who kicked deep to clear. Ashford's defence couldn't gather and Wellard who had followed his kick took the ball brilliantly on the bounce and ran through to score a fine individual try. Medway pushed on and were stopped on a couple of occasions by some fine Ashford tackling. Medway with Geogre Simpson at hooker were winning a lot of Ashford scrum and then the Cougar's backs showed some fine handling and passing, threading the ball out to the wing and when there was no gap, back again to the centre of the park where Stewart made use of a gap create by Sam Cornell and scored under the posts. Stone's conversion attempt came back off the upright leaving the score at 22-0.

Ashford then had another spell in Medway's half but it was defended well. Matthew Kennedy who had been working hard in the forwards took a knock in a maul and had to go off being replaced by Max Fenton. The play ended with a penalty for Ashford which they decided to kick from 25 metres out. It fell short and Fenton got involved in the next drive making valuable yards. He was supported well by Simpson who off loaded just short of the try line for Brown to put over. Half time score 27-0.

The second half started with equal ball, both sides making and losing ground until Nick Hardinges who had come on as full back kicked clear and chased making a good 50 metres. Shortly afterwards Cougars won a 10 metre scrum and Brown picked up from the back to drive through for his third try of the day. Luke Gowdy who had come on at half time converted for 34-0. Medway seemed to lose concentration a little and Ashford picked their game up. From a line out 5 metres from the Medway line Ashford fed the ball down their backs and the full back came through at pace to take a pass and break through to score a fine try which was successfully converted. Medway responded quickly with a good drive which Fenton forced over, Stone converting for 41-7. Ashford then had another good spell and the Cougars failed to close them down allowing a second try. The kick off resulted in a line out and Luca Syplywczac sold a dummy making a couple of yards before feeding out down the line where Fenton picked up and stormed forward, players pinging away from his hand offs. Ground was made and the ball was fed back down the line where Brown stole in for his forth, Gowdy converting. The next few minutes saw both teams making ground until Charlie Wardzynski spotted an opportunity and intercepted as Ashford passed down their line. His 50 metre sprint was too fast for the Ashford backs as he scored under the posts and Stone converted to make the final result 55-12 to Medway.