London Three North West Tabard 48 Finchley 12 TABARD finished the year in style with a comfortable 48-12 win over Finchley. Tabard played within themselves but powerful running, especially by centre Mike Thomas and number 8, Gareth Davies led to a number

London Three North West

Tabard 48 Finchley 12

TABARD finished the year in style with a comfortable 48-12 win over Finchley. Tabard played within themselves but powerful running, especially by centre Mike Thomas and number 8, Gareth Davies led to a number of fine tries.

Unfortunately the game went to uncontested scrums at the end and as Tabard were not the guilty party, they should still get the victory but the score may not stand.

Tabard started the game rather slowly and Finchley took immediate advantage to force their way through the centre. A long pass put their centre Edwards over for the try which was converted by scrum half MacCarthy.

This got Tabard going and in the next few minutes they gradually settled down to play effective rugby and were rewarded with a fine try. Thomas made a powerful thrust through the defence and the ball was quickly recycled for scrum half Andy Murphy to touch down near the posts, giving stand off Jack Reilly an easy conversion.

This score settled Tabard down and they put together some good rugby before Davies set up the next try with a surging run through the defence. Thomas carried on before passing back to Davies in support for the try, with Reilly again converting.

Tabard were now spending a lot of time in their opponents' half and the continued pressure had to result in more points before half time.

In the end though there was only one try, prop Chris Baker going over from a quickly taken short penalty which Reilly converted and he kept the score ticking over with two penalties before the interval.

In the first quarter of the second half, the game turned into a bit of a stalemate until Tabard once again converted pressure into points. This time a long pass out to winger Matty Roberts allowed him to score a well-taken try which Reilly converted.

Ten minutes later Finchley scored a second try when they ran out of defence and a long pass put their winger, Oyesiku, away to score a fine try.

In the last ten minutes Tabard scored two more tries, Roberts getting the first when a long pass put him into space and he jinked majestically through the cover to score, with Reilly adding the conversion.

Flanker Cam O'Connor got the last try, forcing his way over from a short penalty. Reilly added the conversion to complete a 100 per cent performance for the day and wrap up a fantastic win for Tabard, who remain second in the London Three North West Three.

Tabard's next game is not until January 10, away to Twickenham.

Tabard: Ashcroft, Beadle (Lewis 60m), Cooper (Offredy 75m), Thomas, Roberts, Reilly, Murphy, Collette, Ray, Baker, Sio, O'Connor, Hall, Stoba, Davies (Gill 73m).