Eton Manor 38 Tabard 7 (By John Strickland)

 

Tabard suffered once again as this game exacted a heavy injury toll and they now occupy bottom place in the league.

 

The game started brightly for Tabard as they pressured the Eton Manor line but frustratingly this was not converted into points. It was Eton Manor who eventually opened the scoring on their first visit to Tabard territory with a well-taken try converted by their fly half.

 

Tabard responded almost immediately with Richard Woodard placing a penalty kick just yards from the Manor line.  The forwards produced an excellent rolling maul from the subsequent lineout and Mark Villapane peeled off to brush aside defenders for the try (Converted by Woodard).  Unfortunately Villapane suffered an injury in scoring and was forced to leave the field.

 

The game at this point was very finely balanced with both sides producing a combination of good rugby and unforced errors to the frustration of both players and supporters.

 

Manor edged into the lead with a long range penalty and just when it looked as if this would be the half time score Manor snatched a 40th minute try to take a 17-7 lead at the break.

 

An injured Matheson was replaced at half time and then the first ten minutes of the second half saw Tabard reduced to fourteen men as they suffered two further injuries.  Manor took their opportunities during the same ten minutes as they used the space to produce three excellent tries.

 

For the final thirty minutes of the game Tabard played extraordinarily well as they continually held the territorial advantage but with just fourteen men on the field they failed to breach the Manor defences.  It is a tribute to the Tabard players that Manor were themselves unable to produce any further score but Tabard still left the field having lost by a 38-7 margin.

 

 

Team:   Farr, Thomas, Ashcroft, Orchard, Nansoz, Woodard, Smith, Baker, Gates, Davey, Montague, Villapane (Crocker 12 m), Wyatt, Stoba (Wilkinson 47 m) and Matheson (Hopcroft 40 m).

 

Next week Tabard play at Home against Letchworth kick-off 3 pm