Reeds Comeback Fails to Mask Disappointing Performance
REGIONAL 2 SOUTH EAST
MEDWAY 31 REEDS WEYBRIDGE 24
Reeds were thirty-one points adrift at one point, but led by Herbie Finn, their talismanic skipper, they battled back to score three converted tries and a penalty to secure a losing bonus point with the last kick of the game. However, even the balm of a losing bonus point score failed to hide the deep disappointment felt by the coaches, players, and spectators alike at the disappointing performance.
Early on, it was Medway, roared on by a huge crowd of spectators, who dominated possession from the opening moments by way of wind assisted tactical kicking deep into Reeds 22. That allowed them to take up residence in Reeds territory for long periods. Reeds also lost ground when they were penalised at the breakdowns in defensive mode, quick hands and missed tackles gave space for John Sipawa, the powerful Medway winger, to cross for a couple of converted tries to make it 14-0 after less than ten minutes. Then, from a well worked line out in Reeds 22, a loose ruck formed and it was Jonah Hyde the No 7, who barged his way over for the third try of the day. The second quarter saw a more even game but Reeds slow start was ultimately to cost then the match. There wasn’t too much to choose between the two sides in the tight scrums in the first half with Reeds dominating these later, but Medway enjoyed much better possession from their lineouts and were better able to drive play into Reeds 22. Indeed, Reeds line out was another disappointing aspect of their performance with good field position being lost on too many occasions through inaccuracies. Just before the break, Harrison Fermor the Medway No 10, chipped the ball deep into Reeds red zone, the Medway forwards won the possession and rumbled over for the bonus point try.
In competitive sport, there will always be highs and lows, victories and defeats, the only failure is a failure to give up, and Reeds second half commitment to get back into the game was remarkable. It didn’t look that way early on when shortly after the break Reeds conceded another penalty and that saw them with a thirty-one-point deficit to claw back early in the second half.
It was Joe Wastie, the fiery back row forward, who battered his way through the Medway cover to touch down for Reeds first try. Perhaps Reeds side had the edge of fitness or maybe it was Medway’s decision to empty their bench but Reeds pack were now shunting Medway around in the tight scrums and that gave Ollie Palmer the scrum half and Jack Jesty the No 10 opportunities to spin the ball out to their quick back division. Now it was Reeds who had the best of the action, they were camped close to the five-metre line, a forward rumble, and George Corner the arch loose ball poacher, drove through a couple of tackles to touch down, Jack Jesty slotted the tricky conversion and they had fourteen points on the board. Perhaps, Medway, with four tries on the board, took their foot off the gas, whatever, it was, it was Reeds who were now firmly on top, George Corner grabbed his second try of the day when he drove over from a loose maul after a speculative kick ahead and Reeds had three converted tries on the board and looking good for more points although the clock was against them. In that last crucial play with 4 minutes to go, Medway were pinged for an offside wide of the posts, it needed nerves of steel to collect the three points but Jesty slotted the conversion to give Reeds a hard-won losing bonus point.
No formal man of the match award was given but Alex Corner, Joe Wastie, and Harry Ring all put in strong performances.
Match day squad: Kerran Beavis / Rhys Day / Harry Ring / Herbie Finn (capt) / Michael Wasko / George Corner / Joe Wastie / Alex Corner / Ollie Palmer / Jack Jesty / Marcus Clark / Josh Clark / Matt Stevenson / Jack Bennett / Rhys Homfrey. Bench: Lewis Jones / Ben Ewington / Ollie Tyndale.
Reeds next league fixture is a potential banana skin against bottom of the table Thurrock at Whiteley Village on November 30th.
George Spinks 07860 394687
Nov 17th 2024