Tabard win away at UCS Old Boys

London 2 North West

UCS Old Boys 15 Tabard 32

THE incisive running of Tabard centre, Gerald Arasa, inspired the Cobden Hill outfit to a much better performance against UCS Old Boys on Saturday as they notched their first victory of the season.

Despite the heat the game got off to a fast start and it was Tabard who showed the early pace and ability and they were quickly rewarded with a penalty after four minutes, converted by second row Sam Barrow. Barrow followed this up in similar fashion shortly after but UCS responded with a penalty kicked by their stand off, Mee.

Despite the early exchanges Tabard were still the dominant side and were rewarded with a good try at the end of the first quarter. From a scrum just inside the UCS 22-metre area, No.8, Cam O’Connor, picked up at the base of the scrum and passed to Arasa , who surged through the defence before passing to wing Stephen Jenkins for the score in the corner.

It was now the turn of UCS to fight back and they piled the pressure on the Tabard line before being rewarded with a try scored by their hooker, Rafferty, after the initial break by Mee. Mee converted and Tabard were just one point clear. Then, in first half injury time, Arasa worked his magic again. This time he intercepted a pass and, once again, powered through the defence to score a great solo effort from 30 metres out. Barrow converted and the sides turned round with Tabard 18-10 ahead.

Three minutes into the second half Tabard struck again, this time centre Pete Sleath was on hand to take the scoring pass after a Tabard surge up the touchline. Sleath stepped inside the defence for the score that Barrow once again converted.

Just minutes later came Tabard’s final try, this time, from a scrum on Tabard’s own five-metre line. O’ Connor again picked up and fed Arasa who burst through the UCS line and raced up field. Wing Jenkins carried the move on and, as he stepped inside the despairing cover, flanker Joe Ruston was on hand to take the ball and complete the score that had seen Tabard run virtually the length of the pitch. Barrow converted.

UCS responded with pressure on the Tabard line and they were rewarded with a try from Mee who ghosted through the cover defence. This then prompted a concerted assault from UCS for the last quarter of the game and, although they came very close to scoring, the Tabard defence remained impenetrable allowing the visitors to celebrate their first win of the season.

Tabard: Hopcroft, Jenkins, Sleath, Arasa, Lewis, Edwards, Gough, B Lake, Hart (O’Neill 60), W Lake (McKenzie 60), Hall, Barrow (Calnan 60), Ruston, Stoba and O’Connor.

Next week Tabard are at home to a strong Imperial Medicals side, kick off 3pm.