Match Report for 1st Team

Saturday 16 January 2010
London Scottish 15 vs Esher 38

5 Try Esher thrill their fans
5 Try Esher show their classA huge army of Esher faithful made their way to The Athletic ground to see this top of the table clash. The faithful were not disappointed as Esher ran in five tries to beat London Scottish 38-15. The Esher fans also won the award for the loudest set of supporters, the support was so much appreciated by the players and it was almost like an extra player. The two clubs had been level on points at the top of the table going into the match, Esher though having a far superior point’s difference. The win now puts the Surrey side five points clear with a game in hand over Scottish and 8 points clear of third placed Launceston but with two games in hand on them.  For the London Scottish, defeat brought an end to a remarkable run of home league wins stretching back almost two years to 21 February 2008, when they lost to Mounts Bay 18-35. It was Esher who seized the early initiative scoring the game’s opening try after just three minutes when fly-half Dave Slemen picked up a deep throw from a lineout, offloading to No 8 Chris York, who went over for the score. Sam Ulph added the first of his five conversions of the afternoon to make it 7-0 to the visitors.

That early score perhaps made it easier for Esher to settle to the tension of the occasion than the hosts, and ten minutes later that pressure told as a Scottish pass went astray and was picked up by prop Joe Marler to score, Ulph’s conversion making the score 14-0.

Ulph and Scottish fly-half James Brown then traded penalties, but on 38 minutes Esher went further ahead after a kick was charged down by Slemen, whose try was again converted by Ulph.

Before the interval, Scottish managed to register their first try of the match, after an attack in which the ball was first swung out to the right, then the left, full back Frankie Neale slotting into the move and when he was held up just short of the line, passing to Alex Karonias to touch down and make the half-time score 24-8 to the visitors.

If that try gave Scottish fans a glimmer of hope of rescuing the game went out of the window when ten minutes into the second half when Marler ran half the length of the pitch for his second try, also sealing the bonus point, with Ulph’s conversion stretching the lead to 31-8.

Four minutes later, Scottish reduced the deficit when winger David Howells ran on to a kick over the Esher defence, with Brown kicking the conversion, but those proved to be the hosts’ final points of the afternoon.

As the game neared its conclusion, the visitors rounded off their emphatic victory with a fifth try, centre Ross Chisholm finishing off a flowing move from the Esher backs, and Ulph making it five out of five conversions to leave the final score 38-15.

The Esher success has been marked by 5 players being selected in the 30-man England Counties squad for the forthcoming spring internationals against the Ireland Club XV and France Amateurs. The players are: Sam Ulph, Seb Jewell, Sam Stitcher, Tom Warren and James Inglis.Esher TeamHallet -Ulph – Chisholm – Jewell – Hylton (S.Smith) – Slemen – Cowley (Barnes) – Marler – Corrigan (Campbell) – Warren  – Anderson – Inglis (Renwick) – Gaynor – Stitcher – York (Tunnicliff).Scorers:  Tries – Marler (2) – York – Slemen – Chisholm    Cons: Ulph (5) Pens 1