Sat 18 Nov 2023, 14:30
Saturday 18th November 2023
Counties 2 Herts/Middlesex
Tabard RFC 31 - 0 Hendon RFC
Another Very Disappointing League Match With Hendon Scoreless Although Very Much In The Game.
The match commenced with Tabard applying immediate pressure, testing Hendon's defensive resilience from the outset. Despite Hendon's excellent defence, Tabard's persistent attacks bore fruit as their No 8 exploited a 5-metre scrum, diving through to score a try out wide, granting them a 5-0 lead within the opening 15 minutes. The mounting pressure resulted in Hendon's backline being caught offside at the 22, allowing Tabard to extend their lead to 12-0 after 25 minutes with a successful line-out leading to a pushover try.
Nevertheless, Hendon demonstrated their prowess in the midfield exchanges, notably dominating in the scrums. Their forward pack's strength forced the home team onto the back foot, empowering Hendon's back row - comprising Rossa Dooley, Tom Sanders, and CJ McGillicuddy - to thwart Tabard's attacks and establish opportunities for Hendon's own offensive movements.
As the first half drew to a close, Hendon was poised for a potential scoring opportunity with a 5-metre scrum, only for the halftime whistle to interrupt play following a Hendon knock-on.
The second half began with Tabard seizing an opportunity with a blindside move, securing another try and extending their lead to 19-0.
Despite this setback, Hendon persisted in their efforts. Once again, their scrummaging dominance provided a foundation for attacking play. However, a turnover in possession allowed Tabard's No. 7 to exploit Hendon's defensive setup, scoring a converted try and stretching Tabard's lead to 26-0 by the 50th minute.
Hendon launched a counterattack, with Chris Kiyingi, JT Moncher, and Alex Ichim initiating promising attacking movements. However, a lapse in possession saw Tabard's No. 10 capitalise on a kick over Hendon's defence, resulting in another try, bringing the score to 31-0.
Despite Rich Roberts' efforts at scrum half, orchestrating several scoring opportunities for Hendon, maintaining possession became an issue. Moments of promise, such as Tom Sanders' breakthrough three midfield tackles, were thwarted by subsequent turnovers.
Towards the end, Hendon found themselves in a promising position with a 5-metre scrum, only to be penalised for an infringement just as Rossa Dooley appeared poised to score. This decision left Hendon dismayed, missing out on a well-deserved chance to put points on the board.
The match concluded with Tabard under pressure, but despite Hendon's valiant effort, they couldn't convert their hard work into points, ultimately leaving the field with a scoreless performance.
