UCS Home

TABARD 13 UCS Old Boys 16 – London 2 NW

Tabard relaxed just a bit too much on Saturday and let UCS Old Boys get ahead and then found they could not get the lead back before ending up the disappointed losers by 16 points to 13.

The game got off to a pretty slow start but Tabard had the edge in the set scrums and looked dangerous with the ball in their hands but it was UCS who opened the scoring with a penalty by scrum half Mee after Tabard were caught off side. However, Tabard were on top and within two minutes a penalty from stand off Jack Reilly levelled the scores.

A minute later Tabard scored the opening try with almost consummate ease. A long kick from Reilly gave Tabard field position, they won the ensuing line out and the ball was passed quickly out, fullback Stephen Jenkins came into the line before feeding wing Matty Roberts to cruise over the try line and Reilly added the conversion. From this point on the game settled down with both sides having forays into the other’s territory and the respective defences holding out. Most noticeably for Tabard centres Tom Taylor-Davies powering through and Kieran Murphy showing his considerable flair.

In injury time in the first half was when the game was lost for Tabard. Mounting yet another attack not far from the UCS line Tabard’s passing was not quite crisp enough and the UCS flanker, Martell, intercepted and ran the length of the pitch to score under the posts, giving Mee an easy conversion and UCS the half time lead by 13 points to 10.

In the second half UCS were quickly on the scoreboard with another penalty from Mee and then the game again settled down with both sides having their fair share of ball although Tabard still looked the more dangerous side with the ball in the hands. A long Reilly penalty brought Tabard back to within three points and then they really tried to get the win but to no avail. Gerald Arasa, on in the centre, had some fine breaks and he was ably supported by wing Mike Thomas but both were stopped short and in the end time ran out for Tabard and they suffered their first loss of the season.

Team: Jenkins (Hopcroft 62m), Thomas, Murphy K, Taylor-Davies (Arasa 42m), Roberts, Reilly, Murphy A, Lake (Bill), Colette, Lake (Wilf), Kidd, O;Connor, Barrow, Hall and Stoba.