Sussex "Canterbury Jack" Intermediate League

Eastbourne II 3 St Francis 10

 A perfect autumn afternoon greeted the teams for this top half of the table clash at Hampden Park on Saturday. Saints made six changes and one positional change to the side which enjoyed a narrow victory over Norfolk Arms the previous Saturday. Saints only had fifteen players available with no replacement and were fortunate that none of their players picked up an injury during the game.

 Saints had the advantage of the slope in the first half although they had to contend with the wind blowing across the pitch from left to right. The game was closely contested from the kick off with play in the first fifteen minutes predominantly taking place in the middle third of the pitch. The closeness in the colour of the two sides playing strips caused problems for players and the referee in the early stages of the match, Eastbourne wore dark blue shirts with a yellow trim while Saints wore their slightly lighter blue shirts with a white trim. As the game progressed Saints started to get the upper hand with Dave Callan, Steve Pollock, Dave Miles and Shannon Millard often prominent in driving the ball forward before scrum half Alan McArdle used the quick ruck ball to bring their speedy backs into play.  

 Saints were denied a try after twenty minutes when Shannon Millard touched the ball down over the line only for the referee to rule that there had been an earlier infringement. After thirty-five minutes a kick ahead by the industrious John McShane kept Saints on the attack, but a good clearance kick by Eastbourne pushed play into the Saints half where it stayed for the remainder of the half. As the half time whistle blew the match remained deadlocked at 0-0.

 Eastbourne fancied their chances playing with the advantage of the slope in the second half, but again it was Saints who took the early iniative. Over robust rucking by Saints flanker, Dave Nolan, brought a warning from the referee, while shortly afterwards both hookers received a lecture from the referee as tempers became frayed. After fifty minutes a rare mistake from McShane saw the ball thrown forward as he was tackled in his own twenty-two. The loose ball was kicked ahead by an Eastbourne forward but the two pursuing Eastbourne wingers contrived to get in each others way and waste a golden opportunity to open the scoring. Eastbourne spurned a further chance to put points on the board five minutes later when a penalty attempt at goal from thirty-five metres fell short and drifted to the right of the posts.

 It was left to big Dave Callan to break the deadlock after sixty-five minutes play. Eastbourne players mocked that a tight forward should be attempting a penalty kick at goal from forty metres. Clearly they are too young to remember the former Aberavon lock Allan Martin, who used to kick long range goals for Wales. Like Martin, Callan's kicking style may lack finesse but it proved mightily efficient as the ball sailed between the posts to give Saints a 3-0 lead. You could almost hear Bill McLaren comment, "Isn't it marvellous when a lock forward kicks a goal like that ! " Buoyed by this score, Saints promptly added to it. Dave Ayres set the move in motion by collecting the restart and sprinting fifty metres down the right wing. With one man to beat he passed the ball to the supporting Murray Stephenson, who gleefully skipped along inside the touchline before cutting in to touchdown under the posts. Callan added the conversion and Saints lead had increased to 10-0. This stung Eastbourne into action and with ten minutes remaining they kicked a penalty to reduce the arrears to 10-3 and set up a grandstand finish, Although Eastbourne huffed and puffed they were unable to blow down St Francis, who comfortably held on for a deserved victory.

 This was a fine fifteen man performance from St Francis, full of heart and character. Unless they are able to find more players with a similar committment to the cause, however, they will struggle to maintain this promising start to the season, which has seen them win four out of their first five league matches.

Team - Vince McGahan, Imminder Singh, Will Arney, Dave Callan, Steve Pollock, Dave Nolan, Shannon Millard (captain), Dave Miles, Alan McArdle, Dave Ayres, Shaun Baulk, Murray Stephenson, Peter Blake, Alper Aydin, John McShane.