Match Report for 1st Team

Saturday 7 November 2009
Esher 28 vs Cambridge 7

ESHER SHOW THEIR TRUE FORM AT LAST-

ESHER 28 (13) v CAMBRIDGE 7 (7)-

By Geoffrey Nordmann Courtesey of the Rugby Paper

Esher recent problems of complacency are not completely over but this performance was promising.

 They maintained a five point lead at the top of national league one and director of rugby Mike Schmid was a slightly happier man, and commented “We had a long talk after last week and decided if we couldn't learn from that and take our game to a better level, it would have been in vain, but I think lessons have been learned.  We may not have been at our best today but it was a marked improvement on recent displays. We passed well, our tackling was ok and the guys covered the ground as a unit”.-

Cambridge coach Bob Crooks said “ I’d like to say we were mugged but that would imply Esher were winning unlawfully and they weren't ,they were just quicker to the breakdowns, and better in the tight to start with. Our scrummage was better in the second half and our line outs are normally much better. But that’s it ,Esher took the game from us, i was hoping for a top performance today for us this is as good as it gets but in the warm up the boys were quiet unfortunately that carried onto the pitch. All there is to say is well done Esher”.-

Both sides had early chances but it was in the sixteenth minute that Esher opened the scoring. The ball was moved swiftly along the back line and a bad pass sent everyone the wrong way letting Samuel Stitcher break clear, passing to Seb Jewell who glided home, with Sam Ulph converting.-

Nine minutes later Ulph kicked a penalty and further success in the thirty third minute saw a thirteen point gap opened up. As the half was drawing to a close perhaps a bit of over confidence from Esher saw some quick passes which enabled Cambridge’s Schmidt to intercept ,running half the length of the field to score Craig Evans converting to reduce the deficit to six points.-

Two minutes into the second half Ulph kicked another penalty for 16-7 then Robert Anderson finished a substantial bit of pressure where after several phases many passes and drives he dived through to score. As the game drew to a close Esher winning good line out ball moved it well and as forwards and back combined well Thomas Warren drove through to score with Ulph adding the final conversion. -

Ulph – Loizides – Chisholm (Baumberg)– Jewell – Hylton – Slemen – Cowley – Marler – Campbell – Warren (Frazier) – Barker – Anderson – Blakeburn – Renwick (Tubasei)

Subs not used: Millard – Barnes

Scorers. Tries – Jewell – Anderson – Warren

Cons: Ulph 2 – Pens Ulph 3

Next week Esher travel to Launceston Kick off 2.30pm