A Genuine Game of Two Halves

CS Rugby 1863​ 18​ Brentwood ​​12

On a very wet and windy afternoon Brentwood arrived in South West London with a very impressive record of seven wins from seven and placed very comfortably at the top of the league. Their officials travelled by train, starting from Shenfield, via Stratford and Waterloo to Barnes Bridge to enjoy a pre match lunch where a good number of CS past players were also enjoying a reunion. Nick Allway proposed the toast to the visiting team and officials and during the response Brentwood complimented the good hospitality and hoped that it would continue on the field, CS clearly hoped otherwise.

There was a truly massive wind at the start of the match blowing slightly diagonally down the pitch, of which Brentwood had first use. It proved to be a good call especially when the wind dropped in the second half. Not surprisingly Brentwood started strongly but two early breaks were thwarted by excellent tackles but the writing was on the proverbial wall. After 13 minutes CS gained territory and after five pick and drives they were virtually under the Brentwood posts but the advantage was lost when the referee gave a penalty for sealing off. Such was the strength of the wind that play moved from one end to the other in one single kick. It looked like CS had again cleared their lines but after several missed tackles the Brentwood right wing scored in the corner, the conversion was missed and Brentwood were 0 – 5. Just three minutes later from an innocuous looking situation the Brentwood full back broke free and scored unopposed under the posts for a 0 – 12 lead, although that score probably had a lot to do with the fact that the CS players were expecting a penalty for foul play but it did not come.

On the half an hour mark CS were awarded a penalty but it was immediately reversed for foul play, and additionally a CS forward receiving a yellow card. The player had barely left the pitch when the CS right wing was also yellow carded for a deemed deliberate knock on. To many in the large crown it seemed like any chance of victory was gone, playing against the wind and with 13 men it seemed to be an impossible task. Brentwood however missed the easy penalty resulting from the second yellow and the half time score was 0 – 12. Was that going to be enough? If not CS would be indebted to their forwards who worked tirelessly in the first half to keep them in the game.

By this time the wind was dropping but was still of significant assistance, but a penalty after 14 minutes that would have put CS on the score card was missed by Hodgeson, who immediately made up for it 4 minutes later by striking the ball between the posts: 3 -12. Could CS effect a comeback? After 23 minutes of the second half lock Ollie Fulljames broke free, and found James Houstoun, now playing left wing, on his shoulder, and James scored. Despite the kick being from the edge of the pitch Hodge converted 10 – 12. With twelve minutes left CS were awarded a kickable penalty which was immediately run instead of being kicked, but fortunately Brentwood again transgressed and this time the correct option of bagging the three points was taken. CS were now in front for the first time. Shortly after the restart, from a scrum the ball went to ground, Houstoun picked it up, broke and with a two on one fed Brad Meeson who had the gas to score in the right corner 18 – 12. CS survived a nervy last few minutes and when Tom McAarthur kicked the ball into touch, a genuine game of two halves concluded having seen 12 scored by Brentwood in the first and 187 by CS in the second; the fans were able to head to the bar and toast not only this victory but also that of the second team who beat Grasshoppers 71 – 5.

With all the other rival teams winning CS did not move up the league but the gap to the top is now just 7 points, and the top half of the table is now covered by a mere seven point gap.