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EPPING FINALLY HAVE COOPERS OVER A BARREL OLD COOPERIANS RFC 12 v 27 EPPING UPPER CLAPTON RFC
Danny Elmer20 Nov 2018 - 13:28
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Club youngsters turned in some fine promising rugby for the future W Parrish, G Cook, G Douglass, L Moretta all under 20
EPPING FINALLY HAVE COOPERS OVER A BARREL
OLD COOPERIANS RFC 12 v 27 EPPING UPPER CLAPTON RFC
For the first 30 minutes this game was disjointed and going nowhere. Both teams and the referee were getting no consistency or continuity in their performances. Mistakes littered the proceedings; attacks were limited with individuals making the odd foray, but no support being on hand to keep things going.
Clapton were the first to break the deadlock, a Dan Jones penalty goal opening the scoring. Coopers responded with a try from a tapped penalty and Clapton almost immediately replied themselves with their best passage of play from the first half culminating in Dale Gardiner crossing for a try in the corner. Scoring for the first period over, it was 8 points to 5 in favour of the visitors at half time.
As disjointed as the first half was, it did illustrate some features which were going to dictate and be major factors towards the final outcome. The Clapton set piece was dominant. Will Parrish and Mitch Sinfield ruled the line-outs and the scrum gave them a customary advantage too. The second half got under way, no team enjoyed any advantage from the increasingly ‘wintery’ conditions but EUCRFC were now more in their stride. Continued pressure in the forward areas brought results and at the 3rd. attempt close to their opponents goal line, Clapton in the guise of Sinfield crossed for a pushover try. Whilst the forwards were providing the ‘battering ram’, the backs were not without chances. George Douglas enjoyed his best all-round game performance linking well with his colleagues and displaying a level of assuredness not seen before. Ollie Stokes and Lucas Moretta were effective replacements too. Try number three came for EUCRFC from a line-out catch and drive which saw Cam Furlong on hand to touch down. Dan Jones converted from wide out to add to his previous conversion of Sinfield’s try.
The referees this season have focussed heavily on high tackles. Joe Mbu was censured, received a sin-binning and Coopers awarded a penalty try with 10 minutes remaining. Clapton were now a man down and looking for the bonus point try. They applied themselves readily, spent long periods in their opponent’s half and with the last and possibly best passage of play of the game got the elusive score. From a scrum base, Sinfield linked with Reece Reed and Dan Jones for the full back to cross in the corner. On this occasion there was no conversion however the final whistle sounded and EUCRFC had run out 27-12 victors. 5 points were secured from a below par performance against the standards Clapton are setting themselves this season. With all their rivals also winning, EUCRFC maintain a 2 point advantage at the top of their League.
EUCRFC: D. Jones, G. Douglas, G. Cook, J. Mbu, D. Gardiner, O. Forrest, R. Reed, C. Furlong, L. Reed, N. Trevillion, J. Robinson, TC. Brabant-Rudd, W. Parrish, D. Allen, M. Sinfield, O. Stokes, L. Moretta, D. Griggs.
OLD COOPERIANS RFC 12 v 27 EPPING UPPER CLAPTON RFC
For the first 30 minutes this game was disjointed and going nowhere. Both teams and the referee were getting no consistency or continuity in their performances. Mistakes littered the proceedings; attacks were limited with individuals making the odd foray, but no support being on hand to keep things going.
Clapton were the first to break the deadlock, a Dan Jones penalty goal opening the scoring. Coopers responded with a try from a tapped penalty and Clapton almost immediately replied themselves with their best passage of play from the first half culminating in Dale Gardiner crossing for a try in the corner. Scoring for the first period over, it was 8 points to 5 in favour of the visitors at half time.
As disjointed as the first half was, it did illustrate some features which were going to dictate and be major factors towards the final outcome. The Clapton set piece was dominant. Will Parrish and Mitch Sinfield ruled the line-outs and the scrum gave them a customary advantage too. The second half got under way, no team enjoyed any advantage from the increasingly ‘wintery’ conditions but EUCRFC were now more in their stride. Continued pressure in the forward areas brought results and at the 3rd. attempt close to their opponents goal line, Clapton in the guise of Sinfield crossed for a pushover try. Whilst the forwards were providing the ‘battering ram’, the backs were not without chances. George Douglas enjoyed his best all-round game performance linking well with his colleagues and displaying a level of assuredness not seen before. Ollie Stokes and Lucas Moretta were effective replacements too. Try number three came for EUCRFC from a line-out catch and drive which saw Cam Furlong on hand to touch down. Dan Jones converted from wide out to add to his previous conversion of Sinfield’s try.
The referees this season have focussed heavily on high tackles. Joe Mbu was censured, received a sin-binning and Coopers awarded a penalty try with 10 minutes remaining. Clapton were now a man down and looking for the bonus point try. They applied themselves readily, spent long periods in their opponent’s half and with the last and possibly best passage of play of the game got the elusive score. From a scrum base, Sinfield linked with Reece Reed and Dan Jones for the full back to cross in the corner. On this occasion there was no conversion however the final whistle sounded and EUCRFC had run out 27-12 victors. 5 points were secured from a below par performance against the standards Clapton are setting themselves this season. With all their rivals also winning, EUCRFC maintain a 2 point advantage at the top of their League.
EUCRFC: D. Jones, G. Douglas, G. Cook, J. Mbu, D. Gardiner, O. Forrest, R. Reed, C. Furlong, L. Reed, N. Trevillion, J. Robinson, TC. Brabant-Rudd, W. Parrish, D. Allen, M. Sinfield, O. Stokes, L. Moretta, D. Griggs.
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