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Sat 25 Nov 2017 · London 3 South East
Bromley
1st XV
29
24
Bromley end Old Boys’ winning run
Colin Sinclair28 Nov 2017 - 09:25
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Disappointment as Dunstonians let local rivals off the hook
Despite a strong finish to bring them within one score of the lead, Old Dunstonians’ error strewn performance ultimately fell short of what was required against a Bromley side that capitalised better on possession and territory to control the scoreboard throughout the game. A rearranged OD backline seemed unable to settle in the cold, blustery conditions while penalty infringements by the forwards continuously put the team on the back foot and brought promising phases to an abrupt halt.
Bromley certainly came quicker out of the blocks to score twice in the opening ten minutes. Firstly, good work off the back of a scrum allowed their lively scrumhalf to exploit some lacklustre, close quarter defending. As the OD forwards warmed to the task, fly half Mike Ubee was able to take some smart kicking options that seemed to indicate how best to pressurise the home side, setting up some promising field positions. However, any territorial advantage was too often squandered by a series of dropped passes and offsides which handed the initiative straight back to an increasingly confident and adventurous Bromley side. A loose clearing kick, poorly chased, combined with some ineffective tackling, allowed the home side backs to run the ball wide from inside their own half and score a second try unopposed under the posts.
Fortunately, that marked a temporary lull in OD benevolence and from the restart, they forced a lineout on the Bromley five metre line from which the forwards executed a text book catch and drive to take James Oddy over the line. Ubee converted to show 12-7 on the scoreboard. Instead of reinforcing this success, OD’s immediately relaxed and handed the advantage back with a knock on at the restart from which Bromley went on the attack. The visitors were lucky not to concede more points as Bromley missed two relatively easy penalty kicks, both awarded for high tackles. The let off thankfully sparked the Langley Park forwards into action and better ball retention gave the backs plenty of opportunity to run at their opponents. Jamal Gobir looked dangerous at times with his ability to break the first tackle but the backs in general were too narrow and predictable in attack to pose the Bromley cover defence any real problem. By contrast, another quicksilver break from the Bromley nine took his side deep into the OD half from where the old boys faced wave after wave of pick and drive rugby which ended in a try wide out on the left, scored during a generous period of injury time.
Even so, the half time score of 17-7 gave OD’s a sniff of possible victory given the wind and slope advantage that they would enjoy in the second half but it was the home side that scored first after the resumption, with some slick passing in the backs to stretch the lead to 22-7. With disallowed tries at both ends, the game became more evenly contested. The OD pack was getting noticeably stronger in the scrums, unceremoniously shunting the opposition pack over the line to win a 7 point penalty try as Bromley tried to prevent the inevitable score. Ironically, it was another disruptive OD scrummaging effort against the head that resulted cruelly in a Bromley breakaway try, against the run of play, that pushed the score to 29-14 as the game moved into the final quarter. Ubee clawed back three points with a well struck penalty kick and at last the visitors began to show their mettle. Bromley lost some composure as OD tackling began to snuff out their virtuoso playmakers and at last the old boys made progress against a flagging defence, with Ajiboye showing more prominently in the centre. A wayward relieving kick was fielded by Gobir who launched a telling counter attack, which took his side towards the opposition 22. Then, Ubee’s deft grubber kick behind the Bromley defence bounced awkwardly in front of their advancing full back which allowed the Dunstonian talisman to bravely reclaim the ball and score under the posts.
With time for the restart, OD’s had one more play to secure an unlikely victory. Ajiboye collected and initiated a final charge but it was not to be as Dunstonians were left to reflect on what might have been and in the choppy league sea, another big fish that had got away.
Scorers
Tries: Oddy, Ubee, Penalty try
Cons: Ubee (2)
Penalties: Ubee
Man of the Match: Tight head prop Conor Mitchell for anchoring a strong scrummaging performance and not taking a backward step in the loose. Very effective at the breakdown both as first defender and predatory attacker
Bromley certainly came quicker out of the blocks to score twice in the opening ten minutes. Firstly, good work off the back of a scrum allowed their lively scrumhalf to exploit some lacklustre, close quarter defending. As the OD forwards warmed to the task, fly half Mike Ubee was able to take some smart kicking options that seemed to indicate how best to pressurise the home side, setting up some promising field positions. However, any territorial advantage was too often squandered by a series of dropped passes and offsides which handed the initiative straight back to an increasingly confident and adventurous Bromley side. A loose clearing kick, poorly chased, combined with some ineffective tackling, allowed the home side backs to run the ball wide from inside their own half and score a second try unopposed under the posts.
Fortunately, that marked a temporary lull in OD benevolence and from the restart, they forced a lineout on the Bromley five metre line from which the forwards executed a text book catch and drive to take James Oddy over the line. Ubee converted to show 12-7 on the scoreboard. Instead of reinforcing this success, OD’s immediately relaxed and handed the advantage back with a knock on at the restart from which Bromley went on the attack. The visitors were lucky not to concede more points as Bromley missed two relatively easy penalty kicks, both awarded for high tackles. The let off thankfully sparked the Langley Park forwards into action and better ball retention gave the backs plenty of opportunity to run at their opponents. Jamal Gobir looked dangerous at times with his ability to break the first tackle but the backs in general were too narrow and predictable in attack to pose the Bromley cover defence any real problem. By contrast, another quicksilver break from the Bromley nine took his side deep into the OD half from where the old boys faced wave after wave of pick and drive rugby which ended in a try wide out on the left, scored during a generous period of injury time.
Even so, the half time score of 17-7 gave OD’s a sniff of possible victory given the wind and slope advantage that they would enjoy in the second half but it was the home side that scored first after the resumption, with some slick passing in the backs to stretch the lead to 22-7. With disallowed tries at both ends, the game became more evenly contested. The OD pack was getting noticeably stronger in the scrums, unceremoniously shunting the opposition pack over the line to win a 7 point penalty try as Bromley tried to prevent the inevitable score. Ironically, it was another disruptive OD scrummaging effort against the head that resulted cruelly in a Bromley breakaway try, against the run of play, that pushed the score to 29-14 as the game moved into the final quarter. Ubee clawed back three points with a well struck penalty kick and at last the visitors began to show their mettle. Bromley lost some composure as OD tackling began to snuff out their virtuoso playmakers and at last the old boys made progress against a flagging defence, with Ajiboye showing more prominently in the centre. A wayward relieving kick was fielded by Gobir who launched a telling counter attack, which took his side towards the opposition 22. Then, Ubee’s deft grubber kick behind the Bromley defence bounced awkwardly in front of their advancing full back which allowed the Dunstonian talisman to bravely reclaim the ball and score under the posts.
With time for the restart, OD’s had one more play to secure an unlikely victory. Ajiboye collected and initiated a final charge but it was not to be as Dunstonians were left to reflect on what might have been and in the choppy league sea, another big fish that had got away.
Scorers
Tries: Oddy, Ubee, Penalty try
Cons: Ubee (2)
Penalties: Ubee
Man of the Match: Tight head prop Conor Mitchell for anchoring a strong scrummaging performance and not taking a backward step in the loose. Very effective at the breakdown both as first defender and predatory attacker
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