London Three North West Imperial Medicals 20 Tabard 27 TABARD kept their composure to prevail in an exciting clash against a talented Imperial Medicals side on Saturday. Both sides played imperious rugby, with Imperial just shading the set scrums

London Three North West

Imperial Medicals 20 Tabard 27

TABARD kept their composure to prevail in an exciting clash against a talented Imperial Medicals side on Saturday.

Both sides played imperious rugby, with Imperial just shading the set scrums and Tabard playing the much more controlled open phases of the game but in the end it was Tabard's tenacious tackling that won the day. Full back Matt Roberts, wing Chris Beadle and centres Joe Cunningham and Michael Thomas all put in try-saving tackles.

Imperial struck first with a well-taken try from their winger Codrington after the ball was run wide from the scrum. This served to wake Tabard up and signalled the start of two halves of really hard but flowing rugby in all phases.

Tabard forced their way back into their opponents half, enabling stand off Jack Reilly to slot over a penalty kick and Tabs then took the lead when a good break down the left wing by Beadle, supported by Dan Ashcroft from the other wing, put number eight Scott Stoba over for a try in the corner. The conversion just faded wide and then a penalty for Imperial from centre Neville levelled the scores at eight apiece.

Towards the end of the half, Imperial took the lead with a try from their fast winger Io, which Neville converted but Tabard kept the pressure on and were rewarded with two penalties from Reilly so the sides turned round with Tabard trailing 15-14.

In the second half, Tabard appeared to have taken the lead when both touch judges raised their flags for a Reilly penalty but the referee overruled them from fully 40 metres away. Reilly soon made up for this, with a snappily taken drop goal and Tabard were ahead fleetingly, until Imperial's scrum half finished off a fast period of loose play with a try.

Tabard then had a chance to level the scores with a penalty but the referee insisted there was a six-point deficit. Fortunately he had an assessor and after a consultation, agreed the three-point difference and Reilly kicked the penalty to draw level.

Tabard then embarked on a good period of controlled possessive rugby and were rewarded with five minutes to go with a second try from Stoba, this time picking up at the base of the scrum. Tabard resisted Imperial's final fling and the game was won 27-20.

Tabard: Roberts, Beadle (Fleuren 70), Thomas, Cunningham, Ashcroft, Reilly, Murphy, Colette, Baker, Gough, Sio, Montagu, O'Connor Matheson, Stoba.