Great turn out at the Pightle

A great turn out from members for lunch , and we were joined by a good group from O Whitgiftians. Lunch was enjoyed by all and a big thank you goes to Julian Norton for preparing a great meal. Lunch was followed by he main event. The out field was still very wet, however the pitch was in good condition albeit a little heavy underfoot. The game kicked off and PJF were on the scoreboard first with a well taken Luc Merlini try which Dan Wilkinson converted. OWs struck back with a penalty before scoring a try themselves to take a 7-10 lead. PJFs scrummage was under pressure and the front row was struggling in the set piece. OWs second try from a miskicked free kick given for a mark. The resulting kick failed to make touch and OWs ran the ball back at PJF and from a set scrum from a break down midway in the PJF 22m OWs drove PJF over the line to score a push over try. The score was converted and it saw OWs go into half time with a 7-17 lead.

The second half continued where the first half had finished with most of the play taking place between the two 10m lines. After about 15 minutes Jack Kennedy did what Jack Kennedy does and broke through the Whitgiftian defence with PJF eventually going over on the left hand side. Dan added the points that narrowed the gap to 14-17. The PJF scrum was working more securely the props having been switched at half time and this change meant that PJF began to dominate the territory but sterling OW defence kept PJF at bay. PJF were trying to force the game and consequently were making mistakes in the final 10m and so the Whitgiftian line held out. Time was ticking away and with about 10 minutes to go PJF were awarded a penalty between the 10m line and 22m line in the OWs half. Dan Wilkinson stepped up, placed the ball and gave it a thump, only to see it just drift wide. It didn't look as though it was going to be PJF's day. Nevertheless the lads continued to press and OWs were given a yellow card, from a penalty in front of the posts PJF decided to go for bust and opted for the scrum. Both sides locked down and with a PJF put in Jack Kennedy moved to his right drawing the attention of the defence, Shane van der Schyff pushed his prop back wheeling the scrum on the left hand side. Placing Joe Dwyer in an ideal position to pick up and drive over under the sticks almost unopposed. Dan Wilkinson added the points to move PJF into the lead 21-17.But there was still time for OWs to bite back. From the restart OWs won the ball and moved it through several phases, on one occasion developing an overlap which was only thwarted by desperate PJF tackling. Options running out to OWs the fly half put up a chip kick for the wing. Kareem leaped and gathered. The resulting ruck was won and Dan Wilkinson kicked the ball off the pitch for the end of the game.

PJF, after a hard fought performance had won. The victory moved PJF up two places in the league setting up an enormous, potentially season defining game against Haileyburians at their Ruxley Lane ground on February 15th. In the mean time we will enjoy what has been a fabulous day at the Pightle. A special mention must go to two unsung players whose work rate made the win possible, Alex Weg' and Vithu, both who contributed so much during the game.