PJF battle through to win a tight game at Warlingham

After a heavy shower befroe the game the afternoon brightened up for the league game that kicked off at 3.00pm. Warlingham started brightly and pressurised PJF early on, and after a well worked piece of running Warlingham created a three man overlap and moved the ball down the line to go over wide out on the right. PJF responded by driving up the hill and winning a penalty which was slotted for 3 points. As the half progressed PJF continued to press and created an opening for Chase Thompson to go over out wide. The extra points bounced off the posts and were missed. As the half progressed PJF were growing into the game and ten minutes after crossing the whitewash PJF won another kickable penalty which was slotted by Joe Rendell. During the remainder of the half PJF continued to control the game. The half closed with Warlingham adding a penalty of their own to make the game 8-11 at half time.

The second half started with Warlingam on the offensive buoyed by the score just before half time. However, Warlingham could not turn their territorial advantage into points and it was PJF who added to their score when Chase Thompson broke away down the right and laid the ball off to Luke Couchman to touch down out wide. The kick was converted nad the score was now 8-18. PJF then seemed to sit back on their laurels and allowed Warlingham to apply the pressure. The score was narrowed when Warlingham kicked a penalty and soon after crossed the PJF line for their second try. Their conversion was also foiled by the metal work. The score was now 16-18. Warlingham were growing in confidence and continued to press and it wasn't long before PJF conceded another penalty and Warlingham had overhauled the PJF score. After a poo second half PJF finally woke up and drove down the hill and forced their way over the lne to retake the lead 19-23. After the score there with about 8 minutes left there was a scuffle on the Warlingham line that soon was broken up. From the kick off, after a couple of phases of play PJF were awarded a penalty on the Warlingham 22m.Meanwhile of the ball another incident occurred that the referee didn't see nor those concentrating on where the ball was and a scuffle ensued between the two sides, the outcome of the incident saw Iain Greenwood suffer a concussion and had to leave the field. With Luke Couchan (hamstring) and captain Charlie Crowe (ankle) PJF there was a lack of senior players to calm things down and the consequence of the incident was that Tom Simpson was red carded as the only person the referee saw actively involved in the incident. The PJF penalty stood and Joe Rendall bounced the ball off the cross bar for the three points. These were the last to be scored and PJF had won the game 19-26. The closing 10 minutes of the game after the PJF try did neither side any credit. The only mitigation perhaps being that the players were mentally tired after a very physical game and it is usually in the final ten to fifteen minutes that games usually kick off, but that should not excuse the lack of discipline in this highly charged local derby.

Next week PJF entertain Freemens at the Pightle.