AECC RFC 13
Cardiff University 3rd XV 0
The boys reconvened after 3 weeks of quiet reflection since their heroic exploits at Glamorgan (for full details see previous report). It should be pointed out that this seems to mean three weeks of barely speaking to each other, let alone training.
So it was with great anticipation that the AECC hosted Cardiff University 3rd XV, who had provided arguably the stiffest opposition thus far in the league campaign in the fixtture in Wales. The visitors were a tough proposition from the start, with a curious combination of dogged defence and what has been diagnosed as "Chiropractic whitel line fever" somehow keeping the game scoreless for the first 25 minutes, despite the game being played entirely in the Cardiff 22.
The 'breakthrough' finally came when the Chiros were awarded a simplke penalty opportunity in front of the posts from close range, which captain liability Matt Bateman dispatched with ease. Shortly afterwards, mountainous centre Simon Tottle found himself injured and elected to leave the field (unlike his brave, heroic centre partner Ryan Allen). This heralded the arrival of OH-MY-GOD-IS-THAT-ROBERT-TODD-DIDN'T HE PLAY-FOR-NEW-ZEALAND-OR-SOMETHING. I think that's his full name anyway (I might have missed an apostrophe). Tactician-in-chief Joseph-Athow Frost decided that henceforth the best course of action would be to play ROBERT-TODD at fly-half with Frost moving to the centre. Good one, Joe.
Anyhoo, despite continuing pressure, no further scores were coming this side of half-time, and so it remained a nervy 3-0 at the break.
A good start to the second half led to another penalty opportunity, this one pushed just wide by Bateman. Though the game remained precariously balanced at 3-0, Cardiff never really looked like scoring, especially with their backline being comprehensively shut down by the ROBERT-TODD-Frost-Allan axis. Sadly, with Todd in the No10 berth, the Chiros also rarely looked like scoring. I won't mention the goose step that went a little bit wrong and ended up as a lineout to Cardiff. Oops.
At this point Dean Matthews finally left the field after apparently breaking his hand on his own head 15 minutes into the FIRST half, to be replaced by Mini Le Roux. Le Roux made an immediate impact in a way only he can with a huge hit, then spent the following twenty minutes deciding if he was injured or not. In the end he was. Well, he was sort of alright though. Bateman added another penalty on 65 minutes to extend the lead to a slightly less nervy 6-0, though the game was still not out of Cardiff's reach.
Ben Rutter finally put paid to any hopes Cardiff may have had of sneaking the game, crashing over from short range off the back of a maul, with Bateman adding the extras to make it 13-0. Though probably too late for a comeback, ROBERT-TODD almost proved it wasn't too late for a consolation score. He threw a pass that was inercepted and returned 80 metres, only for the TWO Cardiff wingers to be chased down by the electric Clive Hurkett when all others had but given up.
Though the details are admittedly a tad drab, the game can be summed up with two cliches:
1. Defence wins championships. The midfield, the forwards, Clive Hurkett's heroic tracking... You can't lose games if you don't concede any points. The Chiros have now conceded only 37 points in 8 league games. A defensive repeat at promotion-chasing Plymouth next week will all but guarantee the title.
2. The forwards decide who wins a game, the back by how much. This was a very attritional game in which the Cardiff forwards may as well not have played. In every domain - scrum, lineout, tackle, mauls - the Chiros were on top. And the cutting edge of the Chiros backs ensured a comfortable 13-point winning margin.
Man of the match goes to Clive Hurkett, largely due to his epic chasing of the Cardiff outside backs to preserve the pristine clean sheet.
Big hands go to Deano (literally lol), Cromsy for stepping in at full-back and doing a very creditable job, and to Frosty, because he's really quite a good player (though he would say that description contains one too many 'o's) and doesn't get recognition for it.
Dick of the Day went to ROBERT-TODD but he didn't hang around to collect his prize.
Finally, CONGRATULATIONS to AECC FC on winning promotion this year, and sorry it's a bit late but I've been busy, alright?
AECC: Rutter, Waller, Broon, Forrest, Witzoe, Matthews (Jaskulski), Pegna (Le Roux), Richards, Bateman, Frost, Broomsgrove (Crawford), Ryan, Tottle (TODD), Hurkett, Crombie.
AECC RFC: Not bad for a team that contains Toddy....
Cardiff University 3rd XV 0
The boys reconvened after 3 weeks of quiet reflection since their heroic exploits at Glamorgan (for full details see previous report). It should be pointed out that this seems to mean three weeks of barely speaking to each other, let alone training.
So it was with great anticipation that the AECC hosted Cardiff University 3rd XV, who had provided arguably the stiffest opposition thus far in the league campaign in the fixtture in Wales. The visitors were a tough proposition from the start, with a curious combination of dogged defence and what has been diagnosed as "Chiropractic whitel line fever" somehow keeping the game scoreless for the first 25 minutes, despite the game being played entirely in the Cardiff 22.
The 'breakthrough' finally came when the Chiros were awarded a simplke penalty opportunity in front of the posts from close range, which captain liability Matt Bateman dispatched with ease. Shortly afterwards, mountainous centre Simon Tottle found himself injured and elected to leave the field (unlike his brave, heroic centre partner Ryan Allen). This heralded the arrival of OH-MY-GOD-IS-THAT-ROBERT-TODD-DIDN'T HE PLAY-FOR-NEW-ZEALAND-OR-SOMETHING. I think that's his full name anyway (I might have missed an apostrophe). Tactician-in-chief Joseph-Athow Frost decided that henceforth the best course of action would be to play ROBERT-TODD at fly-half with Frost moving to the centre. Good one, Joe.
Anyhoo, despite continuing pressure, no further scores were coming this side of half-time, and so it remained a nervy 3-0 at the break.
A good start to the second half led to another penalty opportunity, this one pushed just wide by Bateman. Though the game remained precariously balanced at 3-0, Cardiff never really looked like scoring, especially with their backline being comprehensively shut down by the ROBERT-TODD-Frost-Allan axis. Sadly, with Todd in the No10 berth, the Chiros also rarely looked like scoring. I won't mention the goose step that went a little bit wrong and ended up as a lineout to Cardiff. Oops.
At this point Dean Matthews finally left the field after apparently breaking his hand on his own head 15 minutes into the FIRST half, to be replaced by Mini Le Roux. Le Roux made an immediate impact in a way only he can with a huge hit, then spent the following twenty minutes deciding if he was injured or not. In the end he was. Well, he was sort of alright though. Bateman added another penalty on 65 minutes to extend the lead to a slightly less nervy 6-0, though the game was still not out of Cardiff's reach.
Ben Rutter finally put paid to any hopes Cardiff may have had of sneaking the game, crashing over from short range off the back of a maul, with Bateman adding the extras to make it 13-0. Though probably too late for a comeback, ROBERT-TODD almost proved it wasn't too late for a consolation score. He threw a pass that was inercepted and returned 80 metres, only for the TWO Cardiff wingers to be chased down by the electric Clive Hurkett when all others had but given up.
Though the details are admittedly a tad drab, the game can be summed up with two cliches:
1. Defence wins championships. The midfield, the forwards, Clive Hurkett's heroic tracking... You can't lose games if you don't concede any points. The Chiros have now conceded only 37 points in 8 league games. A defensive repeat at promotion-chasing Plymouth next week will all but guarantee the title.
2. The forwards decide who wins a game, the back by how much. This was a very attritional game in which the Cardiff forwards may as well not have played. In every domain - scrum, lineout, tackle, mauls - the Chiros were on top. And the cutting edge of the Chiros backs ensured a comfortable 13-point winning margin.
Man of the match goes to Clive Hurkett, largely due to his epic chasing of the Cardiff outside backs to preserve the pristine clean sheet.
Big hands go to Deano (literally lol), Cromsy for stepping in at full-back and doing a very creditable job, and to Frosty, because he's really quite a good player (though he would say that description contains one too many 'o's) and doesn't get recognition for it.
Dick of the Day went to ROBERT-TODD but he didn't hang around to collect his prize.
Finally, CONGRATULATIONS to AECC FC on winning promotion this year, and sorry it's a bit late but I've been busy, alright?
AECC: Rutter, Waller, Broon, Forrest, Witzoe, Matthews (Jaskulski), Pegna (Le Roux), Richards, Bateman, Frost, Broomsgrove (Crawford), Ryan, Tottle (TODD), Hurkett, Crombie.
AECC RFC: Not bad for a team that contains Toddy....
No comments:
Post a Comment