Swans Match Report
| Staines 10 (0) |
 |
Westcombe Park 45 (19) |
Saturday 9th March 2013
National League 3 London & SE
National League 3 London & SE
This was always going to be a difficult match for a Staines team who have struggled with various problems since the season started. The game away against Westcombe Park last November ended with a victory for Westcombe Park 66-0 and a number of injuries to Staines players who have not been on the field since. For long periods of this game Combe did not look like a team who are sitting in fourth place and are hoping to move up to third place. Was this because they anticipated a very easy day, if so, although the final score line suggests otherwise, they were made to work hard for a deserved end result.
Combe scored a try after 3 minutes which was converted by Joe Simpson, score 0-7. Staines, with some fierce tackling were very competitive for the next ten minutes before Combe scored again with an unconverted try, score 0-12. This remained the score with Staines battling for every ball and holding Combe at bay until into extra time when Ben Hough scored a try which was converted, score at half time, 0-19.
Staines opened the scoring in the second half with a well struck penalty, scored by Chris Wells, score 3-19. The next fifteen minutes saw Combe score twice to take the score to 3-33.A good period of sustained pressure from Staines resulted in a try by Sam Hobbins which was converted by Chris Wells, score 10-33. Westcombe Park struck back immediately with a converted try, score 10-40.
This game ran into extra time in each half as both sides suffered various injuries and the medical teams were kept busy. Kit Cox left the field with a recurrence of an old injury, but more seriously young No 8 Ian Brooks was stretchered off with a serious ankle injury and had to go to hospital. All at Staines wish him well. In the last minute of the game Combe scored again with an unconverted try, score 10-45.
Staines should have been involved in the Middlesex Cup Final next weekend but were unable to agree a date with Chiswick RFC despite both teams having a fixture free weekend. This cup competition has become a bit of a lost cause over the last few years and Middlesex seem unable to organise it in a proper manner. A great shame as we at Staines have had some great battles in previous finals
