All,

Slightly delayed but below is the match report for the 2’s game against Chobham RFC on 25 January.

Hot off a spirited performance against Reigate the 2nd XV sought to rise to the task of overcoming bottom of the league Chobham. The first surprise challenge the 2s faced was how to get to Chobham without a coach being laid on but with a one-club mentality they did not let the prospect of a Homeric odyssey via Southwestern Trains and taxis from Woking put them off their mission.

Having arrived at Chobham RFC’s pitch, there was a sense of hope, that anything could happen in this vital bottom of the table clash. The warm-up was spirited with the backs, led by Ferg at 10, looking sharp and the forwards looking hungrier than the average sozzled punter at McDonalds at 2am. Indeed, two ringers had stepped up to beef up the line-up such that there was more than one substitute on the bench.

The conditions were beautiful, with a cloudless blue sky, and the first 10 minutes of the game for OH matched the serene settings. A keen desire to utilise the wide pitch meant OH got off to a sharp start with yours truly sprinting down the left wing and finding an inside ball to Shea for a Mint(y) try to open proceedings. Not long after Shea tore through the Chobham defence and OH was firmly in the ascendance. However, such glory was not to last.

If the game from then on could be described in terms of Cluedo, it would be thus:

Murderer: Any Chobham player.
Weapon: Breaking through chest-high arm tackles.
Location: Anywhere on the pitch.

The 2s played good attacking rugby but a series of mistakes including an interception try and a plethora of missed tackles (including one that meant Chobham scored off a kick-off) served to hand Chobham the advantage going into half-time. An inspired team talk from Calum that rivalled the best from Henry V and a bag of Percy Pigs attempted to light a fire under the 2s…and it seemed to work (at first). The second half began with a sustained burst of energy and good set pieces (particularly with Darts living up to his nickname) and the 2s moving the ball well, even if the end product did not quite match the work rate. However, about ten minutes into the half, the floodgates open and missed tackles, especially in the middle of the pitch, allowed Chobham to get through and the game soon slipped out of sight. A yellow card from yours truly for a high tackle in the last 10 minutes and injuries meant that a late score from the 2s could not salvage the day or a losing bonus point.

Final score: 62-15

MOM: Shea Minty

DOD: Charlie Wells

Many thanks,

Charlie

The Old Haileyburian RFC

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