Colts denied at the death with controversial try

It was nearly winter. Snow had fallen in Stroud on Saturday. Winter Olympics were around the corner and the national press were in Stroud looking to interview local hero Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards. Stroud travelled to the Alpine resort of Matson and found a frost riddled pitch amongst the ski chalets. The ski-lifts were broken but we were still able to walk to the ski centre and warm up on the nursery slopes while the main pitch defrosted itself.

The injury crisis was worsening. More players had gone down mid-week. Even medic Delia had self-diagnosed herself out of the match. Jo’s collection of paracetamol, plasters and deep-heat would have to do to patch up any injuries. Even his boots were in demand as James had forgotten his kit and Janes boots were too small !

Another social media call to arms was made: Eddie the Eagle sporting the best Movember tache you could ask for left the nursery slopes and declared himself match fit and ready to make his name in a real sport. Ski jumping was easy compared to running out to face Matson at Redwell Road and their fearsome forwards and their physical all round game.

Forwards: Joe, Freddie, Ryan, Laurie, Darion, New-Jonty, Freddie, Mr T
Backs: Jonty, Myles, Beau, Archie, Arthur, James, Dougie
Subs: Callum

Stroud kicked off and the chaos started. The teams traded attacks and turnovers with big tackles going in all over the pitch. Flanker Freddie was in his element with big runners chopped down with glee. The forwards worked well to win a maul and a scrum restart. Scrums were going to be a real battle – until we realised we were short of props with Stoner and Ben on the injury list so had to go uncontested. Stroud got clean ball from the scrum and attacked right and left through the backs. They worked their way close to the line and Matsons resolve stiffened and they kept Stroud out – illegally in the end so Stroud set the precedent for the rest of the game for both sides and took penalties with uncontested scrum restarts as a good way to guarantee good ball in space. The ball came out left to Archie who took a great line and carried 3 tacklers into the try area and scored the opening try. Myles kicked a great conversion from the left and Stroud had gone out to an early start at 7-0.

Matson kicked off and Stroud were still half asleep from the early start and lost control of the ball from the kickoff. Matson recycled it quickly into their backs and their big centre crashed through the middle like an avalanche and dotted down under the posts. An easy conversion and we were back equal at 7-7. Stroud had been in the lead for less than 1 minute.

Myles kicked off high and short which gave great competition for the ball that Stroud competed well for and snaffled the ball. The ball was kicked into the dead ball area and Matson had no choice but to take the 22 drop out. They kicked long to full back Dougie who went on a spectacualy weaving run back into the Matson 22. Then Freddie and Mr T had some powerful runs. Big tackles were halting big runners. The Stroud big runners kept attacking. Darion and Joe going Rhino, then out to Archie and Arthur in the backs with good runs and threatening the try line. Stroud had a penalty and went for scrum. Mr T picked at the base and powered towards the line and looked to have scored but the ref adjudged held up so Matson had a goal line drop out. This time Laurie ran it back well, a nice offload to Beau who attacked down the right. Stroud were doing well at the breakdown with Ryan and Freddie competing well to keep the Matson jackelers at bay.

Jonty at 9 was having a great game with fast clean ball picking out the runners in the backline. Eventually Stroud knocked on and Matson had an easy scrum win and kick long to escape. Scoring chance denied that could be crucial but Stroud had started the game well and were competing fiercely all over the pitch.

The next 5 minutes was evenly shared between both teams in the middle 3rd. Stroud were like England. Sounds good in theory – except we were as good as England at getting on the wrong side of the ref and giving away penalties that South Africa, sorry Matson, were benefitting from with easy territory gains. Matson had a lineout deep in the Stroud 22 that they drove towards the line but Stroud defended well and earnt their own penalty escape. Myles cleared deep to halfway and Matson had lost their chance. Another 5 minutes of midfield mayhem followed, this time with Stroud in charge. Powerful runs from Darion and Jonty were followed up by Laurie and Mr T punching bigger holes in the Matson line. The ball came out to Myles who saw a small gap and somehow made it a big gap as he side stepped tacklers and broke out into a 50 metre run deep into the Matson 22. He was hauled down illegally and earnt a penalty. Instead of going uncontested scrum we went off-piste (too many ski jokes?) and went for the lineout – unfortunately it was knocked on and Matson had a scrum restart and kicked deep to relieve the pressure.

Stroud kept their composure though after another missed opportunity and worked the ball back into the Matson 22 with a good set of runs with Ryan, Mr T and Joe in the forwards and Dougie and sniping Jonty in the backs. Still Stroud couldn’t get the ball over the try line. Matson eventually gave away a penalty under their own posts and Stroud took the correct call for a scrum restart. Instead of Mr T punching over from #8 as Matson were set up to defend Stroud went out to the blindside. Beau took the ball down the right wing and as the tacklers converged he offloaded back inside to Jonty who was running a great support line. Somehow he managed to keep the attack going under great pressure from the Matson pack massing to stop the attacking move. A pile of bodies fell over the line and Jonty emerged with the ball intact and Stroud’s 2nd try. The conversion from wide was missed but Stroud were back in the lead at 12-7.

We all knew what was coming next – another Matson attempt to get a quick return try. Hooker Freddie did well to control the kickoff under great pressure. The forwards went Rhino to try and run out the clock but Matson somehow stole the ball and it came back to their big centre. He again crashed through the middle and another score looked likely. Dougie wasn’t reading the script though and put in a great tackle to stop the try. The offload came back inside but the Matson runner dropped the ball and their chance had been lost. Half time whistle and a chance to rest the battered bodies.

Half Time: Matson 7 – 12 Colts

Callum came on for the 2nd half as Archie had succumbed to various injuries incurred. Flanker Freddie moved out to the backs as he had accustomed to do in recent weeks.

Matson kicked off and won the ball. Stroud's new player “new-Jonty” intercepted the ball with great awareness. Freddie went on a good run, then back to new-Jonty who was running as well as Jonty-9 to make good yardage. Then Darion and Laurie kept the ball moving forward. Eventually Stroud lost the ball and Matson kicked it back to Beau who combined well with Dougie and another try looked possible. Dougie went for the gruber kick behind but a lucky Matson foot blocked it and the chance went AWOL as Matson managed to recover it. They quickly attacked back and attacked the wide space but James put in a great tackle to stop them. Matson went for the Crossfield kick but Beau defended it well. He held on for about 1 second and that gave Matson a cheap penalty and kicked the ball into the Stroud 22. Matson were very well organised in the lineout department and won their throw. Another drive threatened a try. The Stroud defenders managed to keep them out but this left a gap in the middle that Matson exploited with a try under the posts. An easy conversion beckoned but somehow Matson had lost the kicking tee so went for a drop goal that skewed wide and Stroud escaped with score now 12-12.

Stroud competed well at the kickoff and stole the ball through new-Jonty. More good attacking through Laurie and Callum gave space for Jonty to go sniping. More cheap penalties against Stroud were giving Matson easy territory and possession. Luckily we had good runners like Myles, Dougie and Beau who could get the yardage back in chunks – mainly painful as they were felled at the end - but then see it lost in 2 seconds as Matson got a penalty escape and made 50 yards back in 1 kick. Life just isn’t fair!

Matson had a bigger bench of replacements to keep the bodies fresher. Stroud had no subs – but a very skilful set of water boys in Will, Jake and Alex watching on in injured frustration! What Stroud did have by the bucketful was courage and commitment. Players were tackling like their lives depended on it. Good attacking lines kept Matson guessing what was happening next. Scrum half Jonty was having a monster of a game. If he wasn’t setting the backs off with sharp passing he was sniping into space or tackling the big Matson runners. Arthur had some smart runs. Mr T, back in blue after a few months off, was crashing into contact with aplomb and relishing the physicality of the game on both sides. Eventually Stroud got worn down with Matson’s constant attacking and Matson got another try through their big forward pack. Kick missed but Matson were in the lead for the 1st time at 17-12.

This time Stroud were determined to get a quick score back. It didn’t start well as Matson got another penalty but this time they missed touch and Beau ran it back. Stroud kept the ball alive with Jonty on another weaving run. Joe took the ball into the Matson half. Then the ball came out to the backs and Arthur danced his way through some gaps close to the 22. The ball came out to Myles and he worked his magic and squeezed through some small gaps and looked to have scored but was held up just short. The forwards went Rhino with Darion and Joe to suck in the defenders. Then the ball came out wide to the backs. A clear knock-on from Matson went to ground. Stroud played on with a big overlap and advantage to play. The ball was intercepted by the Matson winger and he returned it 95 metres for a try. We all jogged back ready for the Stroud scrum restart on the Matson 5 metre line and realised the ref had missed it and didn’t listen to the advice of the touch judge who had clearly flagged it. So a cheap try was a dagger to the heart and Stroud were now down 22-12 instead of potentially drawing or taking the lead. Now we know what Australia felt like when Wales scored a cheap try from distance after a knock-on and intercept.

Time was up we thought but the ref allowed the restart. Stroud went too short and Matson had a scrum restart on halfway. They put in a great attacking move with their backs and worked the ball right and then left. Great offloads in the tackle kept the move alive and a game winning try was the reward. 2 cheap tries at the death had taken the game away from Stroud after they had been controlling the game well in difficult conditions

Full Time: Matson 27 – 12 Colts

Stroud licked their wounds in the team debrief. They hadn’t scored in the 2nd half but they had defended valiantly and fallen for a sucker punch at the death. Anyway an encouraging performance from everyone against a strong Matson team was nice to see. In upcoming weeks we should get more players back from injury. We need them as Archie and Callum hobbled off the pitch to add to the injury list. Callum made it to A&E and got his dislocated shoulder put straight. Get well soon !

Next week its Minety away. Chance to get revenge after they beat us at Fromehall in another last minute comeback.