Thurrock take the points from Cobden Hill

London One North

Tabard 15 Thurrock 22

IT WAS fast and furious at Tabard on Saturday afternoon with both sides running the ball and setting up attack after attack but in the end Tabard’s first up tackling was just not quite there and Thurrock were able to claim the game by 22 points to 15.

Tabard once again, despite a vigorous warm up, were caught early on and Thurrock opened the scoring after just two minutes when they were rewarded for their early pressure with a well taken try by their fullback Worster.

Tabard then came back into the game and were ensured of plenty of possession by a good performance up front by the tight five but Tabard could not penetrate the Thurrock defence. Thurrock in turn had their fair share of possession but again were kept out by some hard tackling especially by flanker Ben Matheson. However, Tabard did have a defensive lapse and a run by the Thurrock scrum-half from quickly re-cycled ball saw their wing, Farrell, going over in the corner. Tabard in turn once again had their chances but could not score whereas Thurrock repeated the scrum half break move, this time from a scrum and full-back Worster was over for his second try of the game.

Despite being three tries adrift Tabard were still in the game and just before the turn round they at last crossed the try line. After an initial break by prop Bill Lake, the move was carried on by stand off Tryfan Edwards before handing to prop Wilf Lake for the score, which scrum half Chris van Der Vlugt converted to make the half time score seven points to 15 in favour of Thurrock.

After the turn round, a penalty from Van der Vlugt narrowed the deficit to five points and Tabard were in with a chance but, despite good breaks by Edwards and wing Jason Davis, they were pulled up just short each time. Meanwhile, Thurrock, very much on the losing end of the territorial game managed another try from their No.8, Rettigan, with a run from deep which was converted by scrum-half Brandon.

Tabard were still undaunted however and threw all they had into the game without reward until very near the final whistle, when a Bill Lake again featured with a forward lunge which was re-cycled quickly and the ball went down the line for Davis to score in the corner but Tabard then ran out of time and had to settle for a defeat, yet again, by 22 points to 15.

Next week Tabard are away at Stevenage, kick off 2.30 pm.

Tabard: Davis, Thomas, Mitchell, Cunningham (Jenkins 17m), Ashcroft (Roberts 69m), Edwards, Van der Vlugt, B Lake, Hart, W Lake, O’Connor, Calnan, Stingu (O’Neill), Matheson, Stoba.

Other result: Tabard 2nd XV 15 The Mount 10.