TABARD 22 Imperial Medicals 20
–
Tabard kept
their unbeaten record
against Imperial Medicals on Saturday but it was a close run affair with Tabard
resisting a late surge by the Medics and ending up the worthy victors by 22
points to 20.
Medicals
were an extremely efficient side but Tabard had the edge in the set scrums
which was sufficient to deprive Medicals of the good ball they needed but the victory was largely
down to Tabards defence which was exemplary throughout, especially in the
centre with Gerald Arasa and Keiran
Murphy tackling like demons.
The game
started tentatively with Medicals showing their attacking flair and Tabard
demonstrating their remorseless defence.
Medicals gained their reward for persistence with two penalty goals
kicked by their centre Neville. Tabard
however, did not give up and as they eventually pressurised Medicals stand off
Jack Reilly opened the Tabard account with a beautifully taken drop goal.
Reilly then
added a try after Kieran Murphy had burst through the Medicals defence and
managed to ship the ball out as he was finally brought down, the ball then came
back inside to Reilly who went under the posts giving him an easy
conversion. Tabard then stretched their lead with another
great try. Virtually against the run of play number 8,
Scott Stoba, picked up at the base of the scrum and
set up a blind side attack, fullback Stephen Jenkins came into the line and
then wing
Medicals
had much the better of the second half for a long time but the Tabard defence was
outstanding and as the Medicals attacks faltered Tabard had a
good period but just could not cross the line until a probing kick from Reilly
forced a hurried clearance kick from the Medicals but the ball was kept alive
by Tabard and Arasa and Reilly made the incursions
through the Medicals defence and Jenkins took the final pass for the score.
With 10
minutes to go Medicals proved they were not going to be a walkover and threw
everything at Tabard. Their constant
pressure was rewarded with a try when their stand off Codrington
went over following a line out with Neville adding the conversion. Then with three minutes to go Medicals
second row Fisher-Black was over after a forward drive in the corner and
Neville slotted the conversion from the corner to reduce the Tabard lead to
just two points. There was then a spell
of heart stopping rugby before the final whistle and Tabard had won by the
slender scoreline of 22 points to 20.
Team: Jenkins, Thomas, Murphy K, Arasa,
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