Ruislip 25 TABARD 11 – London
League 2 North
Tabard paid
the penalty for a slow start against Ruislip on Saturday and, although they
played well in the second half they could
not overcome the initial deficit and ended up losing by 25 points to 11,
not the start they needed for the new season.
Ruislip, newly
promoted this season after winning the
lower league handsomely, caught Tabard on the wrong foot and were three points
up after four minutes when Forster converted a penalty after Tabard had
infringed in the loose. Then, despite
some fluid rugby by Tabard, including some great runs by wing Dan Ashcroft,
Ruislip were still able to keep the pressure up and were rewarded with a try
from Forster which he converted and then prop Hofstetter went over after Tabard
failed to hold a lineout drive, the lineout following a rather nebulous penalty
decision. Ruislip were thus ahead by 15
points to nil.
Tabard then
began to play more constructively and
stand off Jack Reilly and centre Ed Orchard showed good handling skills but
they were unable to penetrate the Ruislip defence. Tabards persistence eventually paid off
however and Reilly put three points on the scoreboard with a long penalty but in first
half injury time Forster kicked a penalty for Ruislip to put them 18 points to 3 ahead at half time.
Tabard
started the second half with a penalty form Reilly in the opening minutes and
they then began to play with more cohesion and the forwards had the better
of the tight scrums. This sparked some enterprising play but
Tabard were still not able to penetrate the defence and after a good spell they
then conceded yet another try when the Ruislip prop Smith went over from a lineout drive to put Ruislip 25 points to 6
ahead.
Tabard were
still playing well although the game was probably now out of their reach and
they put some good moves together without reward until, near the end of the game, scrum half Tom Smith
scored from the ruck after number 8 Ben Rhodes had picked up at the base of the
scrum. This was a well taken score but
it was too late and Tabard ended up losing by 25 points to 11.
Team: Smith, Ashcroft, Woodard, Orchard,
Loversidge-Jenkin (Fleuren 65m), Reilly, Karstel, Visser, Gates, Baker (Gough
65m), Milne, Mathesom, Farr (De Vries 46m), Stoba and Rhodes.
Other
Result: Tabard 2nd XV 27 Harpenden 10.
Next week
Tabard take on Bury St. Edmunds at their Cobden Hill, Radlett ground, kick off
3.00 pm.