 09 Nov 2009, 2:18 PM
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Scoop
Joined on 10-06-2008
Posts 33
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Hove Volunteers 30 St Francis 21 on 7/11/09
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Report written by Adie
Sussex Canterbury Jack Intermediate League
Hove Volunteers 30 St Francis 21
Due to injuries and absentees St Francis were forced into making a number of changes for their trip down to the coast. It was Hove who started the brightest, with their outside backs proving to be ellusive in the loose, and with Frannies chasing their coat tails it was not long before Hove got the try that their early dominance warranted. An unusually subdued St Francis returned for the restart, looking for something to spur them into the game. It took a further penalty from Hove, an opportunist interception try and another fortunate Hove try to finally get St Francis into gear, by which time they were trailing 20-0.
Shannon Millard, playing through the pain barrier, spurred St Francis into gear with a number of big hits and hard carries, and after a kick through by John McShane, Alper Aydin poached to score a try under the posts and reduce the deficit to 20-7. St Francis now looked to run everything, including penalties to inject some pace into their game, and after a number of great runs from the half-back pairing of McArdle and Maple bringing the forwards and backs into the game and keeping the ball alive, a great try was expertly finished by Aydin to take St Francis into half time trailing 20-14.
With Frannies finishing the half the stronger it looked as though, with a little bit more effort, they could further close the gap and possibly go on to win the game. Hove however had other ideas and from the kick off a number of great offloads out of the tackles gave the Hove full back enough space to touch down under the posts and seemingly put the game to bed. St Francis did not give up and for much of the second half were camped in the Hove twenty-two, but with some good defence and the odd error by St Francis, they were unable to add to the scores until a good lineout, which throughout the whole game had been a bit hit and miss, gave McArdle and Maple the space to create a hole for Stephenson to burst through and score under the posts. Trailing 27-21 there was a glimmer of hope for St Francis to snatch an undeserved victory and the game then turned into an end to end affair with both teams pressing for a final try.
With the last kick of the game the Hove full back took a penalty at goal to ensure St Francis did not even take a bonus point away from the game and return back to Southgate empty handed to lick their wounds. One can hope that Frannies keep their heads held high for never giving up and playing the full eighty minutes, so that they can pick themselves up for the home tie against Hellingly next Saturday.
Team - Arney, Perry, Singh, Porter, Roadnight, Bender, Millard, Miles, McArdle, Maple, Smyth, Stephenson, Poole, Aydin, McShane, Constable.
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