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Sat 07 Jan 2017 · London 3 South West
Bognor
1st XV
7
62
Two Purple Patches give Farnham Big Win
Mark Weeks8 Jan 2017 - 11:04
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Credit to both sides for competing in their own styles.
Happy New Year to Farnham - The contest was over after 17 minutes – bonus point in the bag and 0-24 to Farnham. Bognor Regis RUFC are at the basement of the league having been promoted from the lower Hampshire One league last season. Their quaint surroundings welcomed the league leaders for the first game of the New Year – champagne and cider the result.
After a sparring initial two minutes Farnham hit their straps – Coaches Matt Shields, Andy James and Gary Stennet had set up the attack to run the Bognor XV ragged from the off. Turn over at the first scrum after a Reece Stennet knock on and Pete Daly resumes normal service with a charge out of the 22. Yards consumed and a Farnham penalty – deliberate knock on and an early yellow for Bates the Bognor fullback. Scrum. Daly on the pick up and drive freeing up winger Ed Weeks. Try and 0-5.
Immediate retribution – break out orchestrated by Scrum Half Oli Brown on to Ian Williams and an effervescent Jonny Davidson – Comley on his shoulder – Try. Easy conversion for Toby Salmon 0 – 12.
Bognor are being run ragged and up the aggression – a sad indictment – they are a tremendously spirited side full of energy, however, they play one dimensional route one rugby littered with mistakes. Picked off on this occasion by a crash-tackling Mike Salmon and on to Daly – massive yards gained and a cheeky pop pass to Comley 0-17 plus the conversion from Toby Salmon.
The gulf in the league positions top to bottom is evident to all and a sweeping move sees Reece Stennet over in the corner – a smug grin from Coach and Father Gary the pick of the afternoon’s reactions. The bonus point secure at 0-24 after just 18minutes. The Farnham supporters expect a rout.
The Coaches ring the changes with a bench time for Daly and Ian Williams replaced by Dan Williams and James Franklin – has the momentum changed – the game is a dead rubber after less than a quarter.
Bognor scrap for position at every breakdown and tackle – misguided physicality is the watchword and Farnham move into disdainful mood. On 35 minutes Bognor launch a multi phase attack – Flanker Blake one on one with opposite number Jonny Davidson – uncharacteristic slip and missed tackle and a try for the home side – extras by Rideout 24-7 and a possible comeback.
The contest has a feel of three sets won quickly at squash plus an extra dead set – Farnham have lost their zip and Bognor are up for the contest – the Handbags start to swing in old school fashion and the referee from Kent, who enjoyed a good match under testing conditions, has his work cut out to police 30 lots of testosterone.
The half time whistle gives everyone a chance to settle down and the coaches to steer the hairdryer in the right direction. Surely class will out.
Now with the slight breeze the league leaders opt for expansive rugby – run it wide and hard from all angles. Left to right and after a Toby Salmon break, brother Mike on to Ian Williams barrelling in from five metres – the Bognor crowd quiet at last. Extras from Toby Salmon 7-31.
The score doubles at a point a minute for the remainder of the game – there is something about this Bognor side - they do have talent however, they are similar to Worcester in the Premiership – massive effort crashing on to the shore with no real results as Farnham pull the home XV from side to side. Crash tackle by Ed Weeks and recover to take another sumptuous off load from Pete Daly 7-36.
Provider turns scorer from a five metre plunge as Daly crashes over wide out. 7-41.
An early finish for Toby Salmon with brother and skipper Mike in to Flyhalf and Armstrong on at Fullback. Farnham are warming to the task Corlett over under the posts. Another mass scramble and in the melee Corlett caught retaliating to a cheap shot into the bin, Mike Salmon with the extra points 7-48 with Bognor becoming increasingly ill disciplined. A tough afternoon for the referee.
Farnham keep their cool and with Oli Brown running the breakdown the tries ramp up – Man of the Match Toby Comley too quick for the Bognor defence and in under the posts. Mike Salmon extras 7-55. And as the clock runs down Comley on another break out frees up Mike Salmon to ease in under the posts and take the additionals. Final Score 7-62.
A satisfactory start to the New Year – Farnham played well in two patches the first twenty minutes and the final thirty. Bognor offered mongrel and little else - the game was a mismatch. Credit to both sides for competing in their own styles. Front rowers Joris, Jennings and Naisbitt were dominant, Luke Batten and the Williamses powered through the match and the back row boys Pete Daly, MOM Comley and Jonny Davidson controlled both themselves and the tempo despite the constant bickering and cheap shots from their opposite numbers. Credit to them for that.
The Farnham backs with Oli Brown and Toby Salmon pulling the strings are penetrative and do not need to kick perhaps as much as they do – the blend of Corlett and Mike Salmon plus pace to burn from Weeks, Stennet and Hurley means the kicking option is not really necessary. Just keep the ball!
Trojans visit next week – book in for lunch at 12.30 prior to the 2pm kick off.
Podium Points
Toby Comley – classy throughout – 3
Ed Weeks – tackled and penetrated all match – 2
Oli Brown – Petit General - 1
After a sparring initial two minutes Farnham hit their straps – Coaches Matt Shields, Andy James and Gary Stennet had set up the attack to run the Bognor XV ragged from the off. Turn over at the first scrum after a Reece Stennet knock on and Pete Daly resumes normal service with a charge out of the 22. Yards consumed and a Farnham penalty – deliberate knock on and an early yellow for Bates the Bognor fullback. Scrum. Daly on the pick up and drive freeing up winger Ed Weeks. Try and 0-5.
Immediate retribution – break out orchestrated by Scrum Half Oli Brown on to Ian Williams and an effervescent Jonny Davidson – Comley on his shoulder – Try. Easy conversion for Toby Salmon 0 – 12.
Bognor are being run ragged and up the aggression – a sad indictment – they are a tremendously spirited side full of energy, however, they play one dimensional route one rugby littered with mistakes. Picked off on this occasion by a crash-tackling Mike Salmon and on to Daly – massive yards gained and a cheeky pop pass to Comley 0-17 plus the conversion from Toby Salmon.
The gulf in the league positions top to bottom is evident to all and a sweeping move sees Reece Stennet over in the corner – a smug grin from Coach and Father Gary the pick of the afternoon’s reactions. The bonus point secure at 0-24 after just 18minutes. The Farnham supporters expect a rout.
The Coaches ring the changes with a bench time for Daly and Ian Williams replaced by Dan Williams and James Franklin – has the momentum changed – the game is a dead rubber after less than a quarter.
Bognor scrap for position at every breakdown and tackle – misguided physicality is the watchword and Farnham move into disdainful mood. On 35 minutes Bognor launch a multi phase attack – Flanker Blake one on one with opposite number Jonny Davidson – uncharacteristic slip and missed tackle and a try for the home side – extras by Rideout 24-7 and a possible comeback.
The contest has a feel of three sets won quickly at squash plus an extra dead set – Farnham have lost their zip and Bognor are up for the contest – the Handbags start to swing in old school fashion and the referee from Kent, who enjoyed a good match under testing conditions, has his work cut out to police 30 lots of testosterone.
The half time whistle gives everyone a chance to settle down and the coaches to steer the hairdryer in the right direction. Surely class will out.
Now with the slight breeze the league leaders opt for expansive rugby – run it wide and hard from all angles. Left to right and after a Toby Salmon break, brother Mike on to Ian Williams barrelling in from five metres – the Bognor crowd quiet at last. Extras from Toby Salmon 7-31.
The score doubles at a point a minute for the remainder of the game – there is something about this Bognor side - they do have talent however, they are similar to Worcester in the Premiership – massive effort crashing on to the shore with no real results as Farnham pull the home XV from side to side. Crash tackle by Ed Weeks and recover to take another sumptuous off load from Pete Daly 7-36.
Provider turns scorer from a five metre plunge as Daly crashes over wide out. 7-41.
An early finish for Toby Salmon with brother and skipper Mike in to Flyhalf and Armstrong on at Fullback. Farnham are warming to the task Corlett over under the posts. Another mass scramble and in the melee Corlett caught retaliating to a cheap shot into the bin, Mike Salmon with the extra points 7-48 with Bognor becoming increasingly ill disciplined. A tough afternoon for the referee.
Farnham keep their cool and with Oli Brown running the breakdown the tries ramp up – Man of the Match Toby Comley too quick for the Bognor defence and in under the posts. Mike Salmon extras 7-55. And as the clock runs down Comley on another break out frees up Mike Salmon to ease in under the posts and take the additionals. Final Score 7-62.
A satisfactory start to the New Year – Farnham played well in two patches the first twenty minutes and the final thirty. Bognor offered mongrel and little else - the game was a mismatch. Credit to both sides for competing in their own styles. Front rowers Joris, Jennings and Naisbitt were dominant, Luke Batten and the Williamses powered through the match and the back row boys Pete Daly, MOM Comley and Jonny Davidson controlled both themselves and the tempo despite the constant bickering and cheap shots from their opposite numbers. Credit to them for that.
The Farnham backs with Oli Brown and Toby Salmon pulling the strings are penetrative and do not need to kick perhaps as much as they do – the blend of Corlett and Mike Salmon plus pace to burn from Weeks, Stennet and Hurley means the kicking option is not really necessary. Just keep the ball!
Trojans visit next week – book in for lunch at 12.30 prior to the 2pm kick off.
Podium Points
Toby Comley – classy throughout – 3
Ed Weeks – tackled and penetrated all match – 2
Oli Brown – Petit General - 1
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