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Sat 14 Jan 2017 ·  Surrey 1
1st XVOld Freemens
19
13
PJF grind out a win in the snow
Niel Kenny15 Jan 2017 - 23:58
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Game goes ahead thanks to Luke O'Shea and ground staff
A big thank you is owed to Luke and the ground staff that this game managed to be played. The pitch at 10.00 am was covered in snow and a massive effort to clear the lines and remark the pitch allowed the game go ahead.
As in recent weeks PJF came out of the blocks and put Freemens under early pressure. However the time spent in the Freemens' half was not converted into points. Freemens first real sally into PJF's 22m saw them set up a driving maul and on releasing the ball to the backs the oppositions left winger ran behind their backs unnoticed by PJF to pop up on the blind side and create the overlap giving the Freemens' right wing an unopposed run in to the corner. The opposition's lead was stretched to eight points with a penalty in front of the posts. During the first half PJF had driven the Freemens pack all over the park in the set scrums. Tom White in particular giving his opposite number a torrid time. It was from a 5m scrum that PJF scored their first points. The scrum pushing Freemens over the line to score home side's opening try, the referee however was unsighted and did not see the touch down, but decided that Freemens pack had infringed and awarded a penalty try. The additional points were added by Dan Wilkinson to make it a one point game. In the final minutes of the first half PJF created a chance in the right hand corner. Joe Dwyer going over for the try. PJF went into the half time break with a 13-8 lead. Freemens who had already used their one and only replacement lost another man to an unfortunate clash at the tackle.
The second half resumed with much of the action taking place between the two 22m lines. PJF, a man up, capitalised on their numerical superiority going over close to the posts, again the conversion was added. Freemens lost their full back in a contact close to the half way line with a leg injury and were now playing with 13 men. PJF seemed to sensed the game was already won and switched off. Freemens 13 men rallied and capitalised on the home side's lax attitude. Driving deep into PJF's 22m the 13 men of Freemens caused all sorts of problems. Playing more cohesively than the home side, they mauled and rucked their way up field eventually going over in the corner. With the score at 19-13, Freemens continued to press, capitalising on the multiple errors made by PJF.
Fortunately full time arrived and PJF had scraped the win. PJF had played some very good rugby, particularly in the first half, but the penalty count and the narrowness of the attack meant that PJF errors had exerted more pressure than the opposition on their lines. The good bits were the winning score and the performance of the wide men, particularly Joe Casartelli, who had a number of runs in the first half posing problems on the Freemens left wing. The scrummage also performed well.
The win keeps PJF in touch with the teams just above them. The great achievement of the day being that the game took place, and for that a big thank you has to go to Luke.
As in recent weeks PJF came out of the blocks and put Freemens under early pressure. However the time spent in the Freemens' half was not converted into points. Freemens first real sally into PJF's 22m saw them set up a driving maul and on releasing the ball to the backs the oppositions left winger ran behind their backs unnoticed by PJF to pop up on the blind side and create the overlap giving the Freemens' right wing an unopposed run in to the corner. The opposition's lead was stretched to eight points with a penalty in front of the posts. During the first half PJF had driven the Freemens pack all over the park in the set scrums. Tom White in particular giving his opposite number a torrid time. It was from a 5m scrum that PJF scored their first points. The scrum pushing Freemens over the line to score home side's opening try, the referee however was unsighted and did not see the touch down, but decided that Freemens pack had infringed and awarded a penalty try. The additional points were added by Dan Wilkinson to make it a one point game. In the final minutes of the first half PJF created a chance in the right hand corner. Joe Dwyer going over for the try. PJF went into the half time break with a 13-8 lead. Freemens who had already used their one and only replacement lost another man to an unfortunate clash at the tackle.
The second half resumed with much of the action taking place between the two 22m lines. PJF, a man up, capitalised on their numerical superiority going over close to the posts, again the conversion was added. Freemens lost their full back in a contact close to the half way line with a leg injury and were now playing with 13 men. PJF seemed to sensed the game was already won and switched off. Freemens 13 men rallied and capitalised on the home side's lax attitude. Driving deep into PJF's 22m the 13 men of Freemens caused all sorts of problems. Playing more cohesively than the home side, they mauled and rucked their way up field eventually going over in the corner. With the score at 19-13, Freemens continued to press, capitalising on the multiple errors made by PJF.
Fortunately full time arrived and PJF had scraped the win. PJF had played some very good rugby, particularly in the first half, but the penalty count and the narrowness of the attack meant that PJF errors had exerted more pressure than the opposition on their lines. The good bits were the winning score and the performance of the wide men, particularly Joe Casartelli, who had a number of runs in the first half posing problems on the Freemens left wing. The scrummage also performed well.
The win keeps PJF in touch with the teams just above them. The great achievement of the day being that the game took place, and for that a big thank you has to go to Luke.
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