Back
Sat 09 Sep 2017 · London 3 South East
1st XVThanet Wanderers
19
22
Close Encounter of a Familiar Kind
Colin Sinclair12 Sep 2017 - 11:36
Share via
Opening match of the season reveals new strengths and old failings as OD’s let victory slip through their fingers.
Thanet Wanderers emerged with the honours from this closely contested opening league fixture which started in brilliant summer sunshine but ended in torrential rain and thunder. An impressive all-round performance from Old Dunstonians once again tailed off in the second half to allow the robust, but ultimately limited, Wanderers to tighten their grip up front and play the percentages. Like waves crashing onto the sands of Viking Bay, the visitors were relentless in their pick and drive strategy, set up by a bludgeoning centre partnership that showed little interest in passing the ball.
However, OD’s seemed well equipped to deal with these tactics with committed tackling throughout the team and quick defensive alignment, which sandwiched the bull dozing Thanet runners, forcing errors in contact and uncertainty in the wider channels. Indeed, a hesitant start by the Thanet Wanderers’ half back pairing allowed OD’s to capitalise on their smart line out drills and a comfortable scrummage to get on terms and begin to win the territorial battle.
While Thanet missed an early penalty, good in-field kicking from half backs Coombs and Ubee forced the home side deep into their opponents’ half. From an ensuing line out, OD’s struck the first blow when left wing Mal Connolly scooped up a bouncing, dambuster pass to beat a static defence and dot down under the posts. Ubee duly converted.
In truth, Thanet’s best in the first half posed little threat to an OD side who, despite spilling the ball in some promising positions, generally demonstrated far better basics and composure on the ball than the much-vaunted opposition and visibly grew in confidence and self-belief. Thanet pulled back with an equalising score in the 20th minute, but OD’s went ahead again after an excellent period of play involving backs and forwards, resulting in Tom McNamarra stretching long over the whitewash following a line busting break by James Oddy. An outstanding defensive show in the final minutes of the half protected a valuable 12-7 lead at half time.
As reflective Senior Coach Phil Ubee said afterwards: “We knew what was needed in the second half. If we could move the heavier Thanet forwards around the pitch, we could play a wider game and capitalise on our mobility and speed. Unfortunately, an experienced Thanet side moved up a gear and denied us that opportunity”. Helped by deteriorating weather conditions, Thanet were able to impose a very different pattern on the game which quickly developed into a forward wrestle, taking its toll on Dunstonians both at the set piece and the breakdown. All replacements were used. Nevertheless, Thanet were restricted to a single penalty immediately after the interval and opportunities were still there for the home side that was prepared to stick to its guns and play a fifteen man game. However, accuracy deserted them when firstly, what should have been a scoring pass flew unhanded into touch and, soon after, a sweeping OD attack was confounded by a final pass interception that saw the otherwise redundant Thanet wing man score unopposed under the posts. A cruel irony. With the rain lashing down, OD’s came under the cosh from driving Thanet play to concede another try, yet again from close range. Fortunately, a late Connolly try wide out on the left hand side, superbly converted by Ubee, salvaged a losing bonus point which was no more than OD’s deserved after testing one of last season’s top sides to the limit.
With new faces making important contributions and a more competitive forward effort, Old Dunstonians can take many positives from a game they were well capable of winning. The team still needs to exert longer periods of pressure on opponents, both in terms of possession and territory, and learn how to protect a lead that is so often hard won. Too often the initiative is surrendered, which the stronger teams in this London SE3 league will undoubtedly exploit.
Man of the Match: Sam Perry, industrious in the loose and always in the thick of the action. His line out throwing allowed the OD jumpers to reign supreme.
Congratulations to Sam Perry, Conor Mitchell, Pete Colling, Oli Gilbert and Matt Traynor on making their debut 1st XV appearances and also to Jamie Pecorella for his landmark 50th game for the first team.
However, OD’s seemed well equipped to deal with these tactics with committed tackling throughout the team and quick defensive alignment, which sandwiched the bull dozing Thanet runners, forcing errors in contact and uncertainty in the wider channels. Indeed, a hesitant start by the Thanet Wanderers’ half back pairing allowed OD’s to capitalise on their smart line out drills and a comfortable scrummage to get on terms and begin to win the territorial battle.
While Thanet missed an early penalty, good in-field kicking from half backs Coombs and Ubee forced the home side deep into their opponents’ half. From an ensuing line out, OD’s struck the first blow when left wing Mal Connolly scooped up a bouncing, dambuster pass to beat a static defence and dot down under the posts. Ubee duly converted.
In truth, Thanet’s best in the first half posed little threat to an OD side who, despite spilling the ball in some promising positions, generally demonstrated far better basics and composure on the ball than the much-vaunted opposition and visibly grew in confidence and self-belief. Thanet pulled back with an equalising score in the 20th minute, but OD’s went ahead again after an excellent period of play involving backs and forwards, resulting in Tom McNamarra stretching long over the whitewash following a line busting break by James Oddy. An outstanding defensive show in the final minutes of the half protected a valuable 12-7 lead at half time.
As reflective Senior Coach Phil Ubee said afterwards: “We knew what was needed in the second half. If we could move the heavier Thanet forwards around the pitch, we could play a wider game and capitalise on our mobility and speed. Unfortunately, an experienced Thanet side moved up a gear and denied us that opportunity”. Helped by deteriorating weather conditions, Thanet were able to impose a very different pattern on the game which quickly developed into a forward wrestle, taking its toll on Dunstonians both at the set piece and the breakdown. All replacements were used. Nevertheless, Thanet were restricted to a single penalty immediately after the interval and opportunities were still there for the home side that was prepared to stick to its guns and play a fifteen man game. However, accuracy deserted them when firstly, what should have been a scoring pass flew unhanded into touch and, soon after, a sweeping OD attack was confounded by a final pass interception that saw the otherwise redundant Thanet wing man score unopposed under the posts. A cruel irony. With the rain lashing down, OD’s came under the cosh from driving Thanet play to concede another try, yet again from close range. Fortunately, a late Connolly try wide out on the left hand side, superbly converted by Ubee, salvaged a losing bonus point which was no more than OD’s deserved after testing one of last season’s top sides to the limit.
With new faces making important contributions and a more competitive forward effort, Old Dunstonians can take many positives from a game they were well capable of winning. The team still needs to exert longer periods of pressure on opponents, both in terms of possession and territory, and learn how to protect a lead that is so often hard won. Too often the initiative is surrendered, which the stronger teams in this London SE3 league will undoubtedly exploit.
Man of the Match: Sam Perry, industrious in the loose and always in the thick of the action. His line out throwing allowed the OD jumpers to reign supreme.
Congratulations to Sam Perry, Conor Mitchell, Pete Colling, Oli Gilbert and Matt Traynor on making their debut 1st XV appearances and also to Jamie Pecorella for his landmark 50th game for the first team.
Further reading
Team Sponsors
