Sin-binning costs Tabard at Old Colfeians

London League 1 North

O. Colfeians 24 Tabard 11

A TREMENDOUS second half performance by Tabard, playing catch up rugby, saw them get to within six points of Old Colfeians on Saturday and attacking hard in front of the opposition’s posts when an off the ball incident, in the centre of the field, undid the good work.

Tabard received a yellow card and, more devastating, from the resulting penalty Colfeians managed to cross the line. Despite a tremendous effort, the losing bonus point and the game were lost.

Tabard started the game flat footed and on seven minutes Colfeians’ fly-half Bates had drifted through the defence for the try which scrum-half Gava converted.

The game then developed into a hard fought affair with Colfeians having the edge and Tabard showing their defence was once again sound.

Tabard were playing well against good opposition, with the front five pushing above their weight in the pack with an especially good performance from Tabard’s flanker, Jon Stingu, who played his heart out all game.

Tabard’s excursions into the Colfeians half were rewarded with a penalty kicked by scrum-half Chris Van der Vlugt to narrow the gap to four points but then Tabard had some bad luck.

Breaking out of defence, full-back Neil Hopcroft was clear to score under the posts but the referee had deemed the final pass marginally forward. A minute later, Colfeians attacked and, although they also passed forward by a much bigger margin, the referee was on a different page and the try by centre Jeal, was allowed to stand meaning Tabard turned round losing 12-3.

Colfeians started the second half in the ascendancy and were quickly rewarded with a try from full-back Forteath.

This setback then spurred Tabard to put in a tremendous performance with every player giving their all. However, the rewards did not come until the final quarter of the game.

After Tabard moved the ball rapidly across field, wing Steven Jenkins made a good drive for the line but was stopped just short. The ball was re-cycled and flanker Cam O’Connor powered over the line for a well deserved try.

Further pressure brought Tabard a penalty which Van der Vlugt converted and from the kick off Tabard attacked hard again only for the midfield incident to result in a yellow card and a penalty against Tabard.

Colfeians won the line-out, ensuing from the penalty and kicked ahead.

The ball looked to be covered by Tabard but in the action of touching down the full-back lost his footing in the mud and the pursuing Colfeians flanker, Burton, touched the ball down within inches of it going dead, for the try which gave Colfeians victory and, despite a last foray by Tabard, sealed the visitors’ fate.

Next week Tabard are at home to Eton Manor, kick off 3pm.

Tabard: Hopcroft, Roberts, Murphy, Meade, Davis (Jenkins 57), Edwards, Van der Vlugt, B Lake, Hart, W Lake, O’Connor, Calnan (Kidd 67), Stingu, O’Neill (Hall 50), Stoba.

* Other result; Tabard 2nd XV 21, Leighton Buzzard 21.