Turkey Trot

Purley John Fisher 35 Ellingham & Ringwood 18

The start of this game was typically seasonal as both sides ran round like headless Turkeys desperately trying to
lose the match. Handling errors, giving up possession easily and takes against the head were rife. Luckily Purley John Fisher made something of this as Captain Dan Martin slotted an early penalty. Despite this early PJF pressure, possession and territory it was E&R who broke away, ran three straight lines, supported and offloaded well to cross the line and open the games' try count.

PJF re-set from the start and Martin notched another 3 point penalty. This seemed to settle the home side and through a passage of forward pick and drives they found themselves yards from the goal line. The nippy scrum half Pete Bennett feigned a pass out and cut back diving over for the first of PJF's 5 tries. Martin converted.
So PJF appeared to be in control only to succumb to a move they often use themselves, a well taken line out and drive by the visitors saw them score try number two. A penalty was added soon after and we were 13-13 all at half time.

Refreshed by the break PJF then set about taking their opponents to pieces. Firstly Fly half Dan Leidecker ran one of his many sublime lines through the defence and ran in unopposed for try 2. Young second row Alex Wilson had had a tremendous afternoon in the line out as he towered above all, on E&R's throw in, to win the ball. From this set up Leidecker released his backs through the hands of centre pairing Miles Murphy and Tom Campbell to the hard working winger Nick Owen. Owen thundered on and out flanked his opposing number to score in the corner for try 3.

PJF then exerted 15 minutes of pure bully beef pressure and pinned E&R 5 metres from their try line. Penalty scrum after penalty scrum ensued as E&R found it difficult to live with the PJF eight. Prop James Quigley was denied a try as the official decided to uphold and advantage and give PJF a penalty some 10 yards back. From this the PJF backs wove some magic which resulted in full back Martin hitting the line at pace with the defence in front of him split as if he were Moses. Supported by Murphy he dummied a pass that the full back bought quicker than a TV in Tesco's on Black Friday. His score made it try 4 and a well earned bonus point.

To round off the day for PJF another period of forward pressure allowed the backs again to attack one way and then the other - the result this time was a scything run through the flagging defence by MIles Murphy for try 5.

E&R scored a consolation try just as the whistle for full time was about to be blown.

PJF - another 5 point win; secured 4th place in the League and sets up a mouth watering local derby at Old Mid-Whitgiftians this Saturday where bragging rites are at stake.