Life can be cruel and as sport reflects life....

Storm Dennis warmed up with PJF over at O Haileyburians. The rain began to fall and the wind began to howl but PJF were in determined mood. Although they lost the toss Haileyburians opted to kick down the hill with the wind. PJF harried and forced mistakes early on and the forwards in the first scrum lay down a real marker when the drove Haileyburians backward. A pattern that would be followed for the rest of the game. With the wind picking up PJF battered their way up the pitch hammering against the Haileyburians defence. Penalties came and PJF continued the relentless drive up the hill. The home side defended stoutly but PJF kept breaking the gain line. PJF came clos on a number of occasions with minor mistakes only holding up the inevitable. The pressure eventually told when on around 20 minutes PJF forced their way over the home side's line out on the left hand side. Dan Wilkinson just missed the extra points. From the restart PJF continued to drive forward. But it was from a kick form Haileyburians that PJF gathered on their 10 m line and the receiver took the ball into contact and form a deft piece of work the backs cut free and after some tremendous rugby considering the conditions PJF added their second try. A lovely stab kick from Dan saw the extra points added. With 10 minutes remaining in the first half PJF continued the drive forward but could not add to their tally and the half came to a close with PJF leading 0-12. Everyone made a dash for the changing rooms to gain 10 minutes of shelter from the wind.

The second half started and the half time break seemed to have taken PJF off the boil. Going down the hill with the wind in the early part of the second half seemed to confuse PJF who struggled to come to terms with playing with the elements. Haileyburians took full advantage of the disorganisation that crept into PJF's ranks. Applying their own period of pressure Haileyburians kept PJF pinned in their half with a mix of deft kicking and driving runs from their centre. Eventually a period of pressure in the PJF 22m presented an opportunity to force their way over and, despite the suspicion of a double movement, the try was awarded. The extra points were added. Despite this wake up call, PJF struggled to get the cohesion of the first half back. A turn over on the half way line and Haileyburians tore into the space behind the PJF line. One gathered the ball 5m form the PJF line on the slide and momentum saw him slide all the way to the line. The kick was added and PJF were behind 14-12. PJF re-found their steel and reverted to the tactics of the first half having worked out the knack of playing down the hill with the wind and returned to battering Haileyburians and driving them backwards. The remaining 20 minutes of the game was spent deep in Haileyburian's territory battering their way toward the line only to be foiled by good defence and minor handling errors which could be forgiven in the conditions. As the clock wound down PJF won a penalty and elected to kick. In any other conditions Dan would have seen the kick sailing between the posts. In the conditions posed by Storm Dennis the trajectory was right but a building gust of wind saw the ball fade wide. We were now into the last 4 minutes. The next 4minutes lasted 10 minutes with phase after phase battering against the Haileyburian's line. How Haileyburians did not concede a penalty in this period is anyone's guess but the penalty never came and Haileyburians eventually won a turn over and kicked the ball dead. How PJF lost the game was a mystery. Having said all that the rugby, considering the conditions, was top quality, and the game was played in good spirit. PJF were hugely unfortunate to come out losing this game. It was a fantastic performance by the team who left their hearts and soul on the pitch and but for a short period at the start of the second half PJF should have won this game.

Instead they find themselves back down in the relegation slots. We now have to pick ourselves up and go again at home against Law Society. Surrey 1 shows that it is not only a league of closely matched sides but also a league where sides really fight for survival. The league points difference between the top and the bottom is the lowest of any of the leagues. Life is cruel and sport can be crueller, but pick ourselves up and brush ourselves down and go again? Indeed we will, we fight on!