London Two North Chingford 53 Tabard 0 TABARD were forced to field a weakened team on Saturday as they made the trip to face London Division Two North league leaders Chingford. The Radlett side saw their miserable season continue as the absence of key p

London Two North

Chingford 53 Tabard 0

TABARD were forced to field a weakened team on Saturday as they made the trip to face London Division Two North league leaders Chingford.

The Radlett side saw their miserable season continue as the absence of key players forced them to play several players out of position in a game that was always going to be difficult.

The early exchanges gave no hint of the eventual scoreline and Chingford were fortunate to take the lead when a kick ahead produced a lucky bounce which sent them over for their first try after just seven minutes.

This try steadied Chingford's nerves and they settled into their game far faster than Tabard could manage. Chingford's overall supremacy soon produced a second try and they continued in this vein throughout the first half, scoring five tries in total for a 31-0 lead at halftime.

The second half started with Chingford still on the attack and they scored again after just three minutes to ease even further away.

Rather than sending Tabard into further decline, this spurred them on and the next 30 minutes saw Tabard continually on the attack as the forwards gained some supremacy over a Chingford pack which seemed to be tiring.

Intelligent kicking from Ed Orchard produced a line out on the Chingford five-metre line and pressure from the Tabard scrum looked as if it must produce a score. A series of line outs followed but Chingford somehow scrambled away each attack. Throughout this period the efforts of Baker, O'Connor and Stoba stood out but Tabard were just unable to convert this pressure into much-deserved points.

This pressure was finally relieved when a dropped pass allowed Chingford to break out and then score totally against the run of play.

To their credit, Tabard never stopped trying but could not regain their composure and Chingford stretched their lead with two further tries late in the game to record the 53-0 win.

Tabard play at home this Saturday against Thurrock who are just above them in the league table. The game kicks off at 2.30pm.

Tabard: Nansoz, Hopcroft, Thomas, Ashcroft, Offredy, Orchard, Peters, Long (Baker 43), Gates, Davey, Montagu, O'Connor, Wyatt, Robertson, Stoba.