Back Row:S.Pike, C.Pratt, B.Appleton (Guest), J.Packer, E.Thomas, O.East, J.Burrage, N.Fell, M.Ball (capt.), T.Rooke, W.Britten, M.Laing, H.Froud, P.Crang, J.Holt

Front Row:O.Brown, W.Carew-Gibbs, K.Pike, J.Knowling, M.Green

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Rosslyn Park FC 4^th XV 5 Vs 10  Apple Growers

Tries: H.Froud, J.Packer

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The growers were straight back to winning ways with a great away victory against Roslyn Park 4^th’s on a muddy Saturday afternoon.  In another tough gruelling game, (something the growers are becoming accustomed to), our fierce defence and fast paced flair were enough to see off the home side.

Thankfully, after the debacle that was the last Milton Abbey game, we welcomed back around 18 first choice players to the team, but even with a full strength outfit you could tell that we were not taking this game lightly…for our warm up we played some fairly structured touch!

The Milton Abbey game had upset and embarrassed many of the players, and it was important to start 2006 strongly, so a tough character was needed to Captain the side and that man was Matt Ball, who by playing in his fifth growers game became the latest player to be part of our elite group of professional athletes.

First Half

Slow, muddy, close games are something of a speciality for the growers, and after years of playing in the North Dorset mud, hail and rain, this Grower’s team were undeterred by the conditions and started strongly with a great passage of play straight off kick off. However the biggest problem that each team faced, and no it wasn’t the threat of wearing Marco’s luminous pink jumper as some kind of sick punishment, were the conditions. Handling errors and an emotionally fragile referee, who I think had a nervous breakdown after the game, made for quite a frustrating first half where I think we accumulated around 15 evenly fought, energy sapping, scrums. This unfortunately led to a largely uneventful first half, but it was a half that the growers could at least take some heart in the fact that territory and possession wise, were in complete control and waiting for an opening.

The opening finally came with minutes to go before the half time whistle. Matt Ball, who led brilliantly from the front all game, managed to steal the ball away from the large Roslyn Park pack in the middle of a ruck. Bouncer passed the ball to Gibbsy who threw a perfectly flat pass, that was received by Rookie who had hit a great line and suddenly after trudging around in the mud for 30 odd minutes, we were on the break.

Pratty, like a coiled spring burst into action and let his supporting lines do the talking, (unlike his constant whinging before the game about the conditions!!!! You’re a farmer - you love rain and mud)…and managed to keep up with Rookie who got hit hard by the full back but managed to have the presence of mind to pass to Pratty who in turn off loaded to our returning hero Froudy to score a well deserved try. Kick missed.

I actually have to congratulate the Roslyn Park full back for tackling Rookie during that passage of play, for not only was Rookie travelling at some serious high speeds but he also let slip after the try was scored that he had produced the ‘perfect side step’. What a player!!!

Now kicking wasn’t our strongest tactic during the game but I loved the tactic that was employed to dispatch their large Afro Caribbean winger and probably their greatest threat.

The tactic seemed to be to leave Kev Pike out on the wing, surely the only reason he was there, and to get Rookie to give away perfectly good possession by putting in a 15 ‘yard’ cross field kick to their biggest and fastest player, only then to have Kev steam roller over him as he caught the ball. He shortly departed with a broken upper torso. Cynics would say it was an accident, I prefer to call it Genius!!!

Second Half

Going into the second half 0-5 up, we knew it wasn’t game over by any means but we are also experienced enough to know that a 5 point lead in these conditions could be enough to see us to victory. The key to our victory however would our solid defence that had succeeded in repelling any attack the large Roslyn park pack could throw at us.

We had a personnel change in the front row when XV’s debutant DCI Jo. Holt, (or I’ll shoot…. bad gag), came off to reunite the holy trinity of Pike/Gibbs/Pike, in the front row and Big Browner into the second row for Keast.

The visitors also rang the changes and when the opposition forwards warn you that Big Trev is coming on to prop you know he’s either a beast, or it’s a bit of an ironic and mean nick name. Thankfully it was ironic and with the growers finally getting a shunt on their scrum and winning the line outs the game seemed firmly in our control. Which was why when they scored mid way through the half you sensed that the game was going to head for a draw. How did we let them drive us infield off a line out with no blind side cover, how did their wing out strip Gibbsy to score in the corner, and how was Pricey’s Gender reconstruction or ‘shoulder’ surgery going, all good questions that we had to ask our selves as we walked under the posts. Kick missed.

So with a nail biting last fifteen minutes or so to go we still felt as though we had the edge on this team, but to score a try at this stage…it would have to be something special. Some people say the greatest ever try was the Baa Baa’s 80 metre effort against New Zealand….possibly, others believe it was waltzing O’Driscoll’s try in the first test against Australia…maybe, but for a grower this try must rank among one of our best and most timely. Not only was it scored at the end of an energy sapping epic of a game which proved that Gibbsy’s fitness routine had not fallen on deaf ears, but the composure, vision and unselfishness during the build up exemplary. Matt Green had been having the game of his life playing with all the grit and determination you want from a number 9 and when he saw an overlap on the blind side he went for it.

As Greener took on the oncoming player he passed the ball to Gibbsy, who also took on the last remaining player and released Keast down the wing.

Many Park players tried to chase back but the inter passing between Marco, Keast the Beast and Juan Paco meant that they didn’t get close, and as Packer went over in the corner you knew then that we might have finally wrapped up this game.

So, game over…. not quite.

Even though the referee had signalled that there was one minute left after he had awarded the try, we managed to play on for around another 5 or 6 agonizing minutes, which culminated in a scrum on our own 5 metre line. It was our ball, but with Rookie doing a Paula Radcliff-doing brilliantly for ages but never quite finishing off what he started- kicking duties were left to Greener and off our own ball there is nothing sweeter for a forward than a steady scrum, breaking up, and seeing the ball flying into touch. Greener had different plans and unfortunately managed to screw his kick cross field into the arms of their winger. Ah.

Froudy was fast to react and was straight onto him as was Greener who was trying desperately to not allow them to score. Once again the team defended gallantly, regained possession and luckily for Geener got the ball out of play for a famous victory. Final Score 0-10

 

D.O.D- Matt Green

Forwards

The front row had a commanding display throughout with Jo Holt performing well around the pitch but perhaps struggling with the timing of the jumpers in the line out. The Pike brothers continue to dominate opposing packs with their bullish displays and along with Gibbsy, hopefully the holy trinity will continue to steam roller there way through many more teams.

Money can’t buy the kind of experience we have in the second row. The boiler house isn’t a pleasant place to be, you just try sticking your head between any of the front rowers, yet time after time Ollie and Matt don’t just give added shunt to the scrum but they also dominate line outs and tackle areas. Big Browner came on in the second half and put in a fierce display with some outstanding tackling, rucking and mauling.

I would hate to play against our back row, you lot must be the most frustrating group of players to play against, if its not knocking the ball out of their scrum halves hand into our side of the scrum Austin Healy style, then you’ve got your hands on the ball when you have no right to at the bottom of a ruck. But this is why your so revered and talked about growers circles, your sheer disregard for you own safety gave us a much deserved victory and when you have a wealth of talent on the sidelines and can bring on a ‘one man skirmishing’ unit like Knowlers then you know your onto a winner!! Pratty, Bill, Marco and Knowlers all deserve to have more said about then but I must move onto the Backs.

Backs

A fundamental weakness against Milton Abbey was a rather inexperienced back line that failed to make the most of their chances…. sorry boys but its true. Our back line today though worked like a well-oiled machine. You had the dancing feet and vision from Rookie who managed to make a complete nuisance of himself by hitting some excellent running lines and can be thanked for his participation in the first try. Then you had what I like to call the ‘Iron Curtain’ in the midfield of Cranger and Felly, who I think everyone will agree didn’t get much of a chance to run at the opposition, but what they did manage to do was smash anything that came in their channel. They can be credited for this win as much as anyone in this game. Next up comes our returning hero Froudy, who had another strong game this time on the wing, and managed to support Rookie for the first try and I hope that its not another year before we see him again. Burrage at fullback had another assured, composed and professional performance. I was worried that his winter chest rug was going to slow him down but thankfully it only served to keep him warm and supple, and although many believe his best position would be at 9, his performances at full back are speaking for themselves. Growler, came on in the second half and much like the rest of the backs he couldn’t be faulted for his performance as his tackling and running were gritty and determined.

Last, but by no means least is our gentleman Thommo. Now it can’t be long before he’s given more of an administrative or club ambassador type job, but one can only hope that he keeps churning out accomplished performances like he did today. If I was to point fingers some would ask where he had wondered off to for their try, but whatever the answer Tommo is a stalwart of the team and long may it continue in my opinion.

Now thanks must go to Mrs Pat East, who has once again come up trumps with our kit. Clean, ironed shirts are as reliable as her son’s nose bleeding after 10 minutes of any game.

My last thanks, (and it has to be as this email has cost me about £20 in an internet Café), must go to our supporters. Once again you turn up to another growers game, some it has to be said in less sensible attire, like trendy boots over good old fashioned wellies Hannah, but I think the whole team would like to thank you for your support game after game.

WC-G