EDF Cup 2nd Round , Sat 28 Oct 2006

Market Harborough 42 - Hamians 15

an abridged version for the record

cup rugby is a difficult one since leagues were introduced

we know we are never going to win this competition , as we have no sugar daddy to re inforce the side if you progress forward a couple of rounds

our draw this year sent us to mkt harborough ...formerly kibworth

hamians had never played their , except for one of us some 25 plus years ago and then at a different ground


several players were rested , away and several players received recalls to the first xv some ten years after they retired !!!!!!! you never lose it billy , it's just like riding a bike

their clubhouse was impressive ...fielding 4 sides plus vets ....

they had plyed in the higher leagues but were consolidating in west 5 , finding promotion difficult with the Bedford semi pro sides in their league

hmains in purple , won the shirt prize , thye were in dull black ...the ref in vivid yellow , he must train in the slow lane on the M1 dodging cones !!

hamains started brightly fast rucking , bright hands , resulted in numerous penalties

line out worked well with ball stolen

over eagerness after good 5 yd lineout posseion secured squanders good field position .

Hamians attack brightly , fly half kick and chase squanders overlap opportunity

home crowd worried and travelling support excited and then jubilent as paenalty puts hamoians in lead ...14 points missed up to this point

Home side rally and play structured attacking game plan , knicking hamian lineout punch up pitch , slick hands and off poads in forwards results in try by posts ...4 off loads in move after players tackled , reliasing hamimans strength at break down keeping ball alive for a more fluid forward driving game

Un fortunatelay from kick off good ball and tactical kicking pressurise hamians who try to force the game , too early , give away god field posotion

swift 8 pick up drive , great defence , rebukes , rolling mauls from home side front three ( all looked the same shape and stunted height with troll like girth ), good off load , change point of attack and exploit defence to score

14 -3 , a quick turn around

good scrummage plantform results in home scoring twice more .....

hamians rally and last 10 minutes of half have numerous half breaks , and missed opportunitues ...home side cynical at breakdown giving fouls

from penalty , pivot dummy , and scrum half pop to hobbit to blast over

24 -8 , kcik infront of post missed

start second half same way and come back on cards

kick off gathered , ran sideways , contact poor and ruck formed with crap presentation withball lost

defence for 5 mins tremendous but cannot escpe ....pressure at scrum and half pint child scrum half dives round shing with elfin fiendishness to score

34 -8

game pattern continues ..hamians out to run everything ...home side stranglin first phase , keeping pressur on for mistakes

hamians defence does not whilt

epsy , yorkie and chicago ...millimetres from escaping to score

cynical and agressive play should have resulted in cards but home side only warned

they score again 43 -8

chicago scores 43 -15

purple period when chances missed to close gap

clock winds down and ends with great defence and try scoring run from winger sliced down by shing cover tackle

thanks to the lads who playd and three 1st team debuts

we all know we cluod and should have played smarter and better but take the positives into the game against keyworth with the knowledge that we can score against anybody with the ball in hand

they were so impressed with the style and attittude , against the negative styles most sides have in their league that are looking for a friendly on the free dates later in the season ...

only league and two cups to concentrate on now ......