Definitely one we let slip at the weekend…. Great defence around the fringes and excellent forward play saw us dominate most of this game but we conceded 3 tries, one an from unlucky turnover when we had been hammering at their 22 for 10 minutes saw them sprint 70 yards to score – not many of us can sprint 70 yards….
This score let them in to a game we had control of. Then their big lump of a centre ran through about 5 tackles just after half-time… everyone looking at his size and standing off him. Then the same big lump scores their winner, with again everyone dazzled by his size.
Ricky scored our first try with his now patented break from the back of a scrum. Dan Buller came close but must have been watching and learning off me cos he spilled the ball in the very act of diving over the line with all the hard work done. Ash got our second after yours truly passed him the ball (see… I have learnt from the Richmond game). We got one conversion, no idea who kicked it (but Steve Weekes has stepped forward to claim it). Gavin on the wing made some big runs and nearly knocked himself out at one stage! As usual our back row tackled themselves to a standstill and it was great to see two real Vets, Paul Clarke and Rob Williams winning restarts and turning over ball for a full game against players half their age. We went close on several occasions with Paul Clarke held up over the line after a 30 yard driving maul from a great clean lineout catch and also Ben Davies being judged to have been beaten to the touchdown after the ball was kicked ahead.
Speaking to some of the oppo after the game, they had been expecting a comfortable game against a bunch of Vets but admitted they got a rude awakening. These guys play in MMT 3, just 2 divisions below the Cougars so we can all be proud of the effort shown. Hard luck to Frank Casali who picked up a bad knock to his knee so we wish him a speedy recovery. There are now a few regulars on the injury list along with Stef Glancy and Bill Miller so we need all the availability we can get for the next few games.
Team v Grasshoppers: Ash Spencer, Declan Cronin, Bill Miller II, Rob Williams, Paul Clarke, Andrew Lee, Ben Davies, John Ronane, Ricky Spadavecchia, Steve Weekes, Paul Hoban, Frank Casali, Dan Buller, Gavin, Greg Holdsworth, Norm Bloom
Scores
GrassHoppers 3rds
Tries: 3
Cons: 2
Ealing Evergreens
Tries: Spadavecchia, Spencer
Cons: Weekes
