Old cats U15 vs Effingham & Leatherhead B

The last home match of the season and it’s a different team that shows up, the boys arrive early and start to get switched on early, but E&L have come to play as well and know how to work at the breakdown, they counter ruck and win the ball, their back line run hard and spin the ball down the line first one way and then the other, OCs start to get sucked in and the defence is too narrow and E&L are over in the corner. An excellent kick from the touch line gives them the extras.
0 – 7

OCs start to compete at the breakdowns and win some ball, Ben releases the backs and who spin the ball wide to Drew who makes some good ground and get over the line but is held up.

Half Time
E&L have the slope, and are helped by a poor defending of the kick off, allow E-L to apply pressure, OC’s scramble but panic sets in close to the try line, a poor kick gives E&L the ball in the centre of the park, E&L bring it back hard and OCs haven’t got enough defenders and E&L go over for their second try.
0 – 12

OCs kick off and its collected by E&Ls big centre waltz’s through the OC’s defence which is fast asleep, and they are over for a third try under the posts, and they extras are added, this looks like being a long half!
0 – 19

Ocs start to get some urgency into their play and importantly the tackles are coming in, now E&L feel the pressure and start to cough the ball up the balls collected by Ben and passed out to Ross who hands off the centre, breaks through and is over for a superb try, Seb add s the extras
7 – 19

Ocs are now starting to play but are giving away too many penalties which they capitalise on and are over in the corner, the E&L kicker is having a great day with the boot and adds the extras.
7 - 26

But Ocs are still trying to play and are tackling hard, wining the ball they spin it out wide, to Chris who makes a great break, this time the support play is there and the balls re-cycled, Bens uses the boot and Seb recovers the cross field kick who makes it to the E&L Line where he off loads to Josh D who smashes over for the try, Seb adds the extras
14 - 26

There’s only a few more minutes on the clock and OC’s are tackling hard, but E&L make ground, in the end OCs just run out of players and E&L score in the last few seconds, close to the post, the E&Ls kicker isn’t going to miss this one.
14 – 33 – Full time

It was a far better performance and attitude by OCs today and very much a tale of 2 halves, E&L were more aggressive at the breakdown which starved OCs of ball, and luck was certainly not on OCs side, with line-outs and scrums not going to plan when they were really needed when either defending the try line or applying pressure on the oppositions try line, not helped by the E&L kicker having a great day with the boot.

Ben had a great game at flyhalf, kicking well and steeling opposition ball and was a deserved man of the match

Tries – Ross, Josh D
Cons – Seb x 2
MOM - Ben