ORRFC v Battersea Ironsides: Match Report

The 2^nd having the perfect combination of a pack full of seasoned campaigners like Club Stalwarts Ed Bartlett & Mike Layzell and a backline of youth with a number of Colts having their first run out in senior section. The 1^st XV were glad to welcome back Seb Courtney Walker, Sam Foreman & Paul Marshall from long term injuries with Paul having missed the last two seasons, and Ben Burrage & Jonny Bridges making their first starts for the 1^st XV. Battersea Ironsides were having a great start to their season were sitting second in the League Saturday morning and were always going to be a tough fixture. Battersea got off to a flying start and within 2 minutes the No 6 ran a great line to wrong foot the Home defensive line and he was scoring under the posts. The conversion was scored. 0-7. Credit to Reigatian this seemed focussed the players and straight away they moved play upfield and were putting the visitors under pressure. With the Line Out operating well a driving maul was set up and Seb Courtney Walker got his hands on the ball at the back of a driving maul to score. Conversion missed 5-7. OR’s were now playing with confidence and some excellent play with the forwards again applying pressure the ball was moved wide with Ben Holder combining with Tom Baldwin to create an extra man in midfield, fullback Tom Woodford found Winger Finn Coyle in space to run in another try. This time Tom Baldwin made the conversion to move ahead 12-7. All this hard work was sadly undone with an error in the defensive line and again Battersea were under the posts for what looked like a soft try to give away. Ironside’s kicker missed the conversion so the scores were now level 12 all with Half Time approaching.
From a Battersea Line Out flyhalf Ben Holder took a nasty blow in making a tackle and nursing a nasty cut to his eyebrow he had to be replaced. This meant Ryan Taylor Travers moving from No8 to 12 and Inside Centre Tom Baldwin moving to ten. Will Godwin joined from the Bench into No8 and Reilly Franklin Talbot also joined from the bench to give Paul Marshall a well earned rest. As the Team tried to settle with new combinations Battersea were able to take the lead with a well worked driving maul from a Line Out half time score 12-19

The second half started poorly with the visitors stretching their lead with another driving maul to move to a 12-22 lead. Old Reigatians injury woes continued with LooseHead prop Ethan Monk taking a nasty blow to his Jaw. He was replaced by Paul Marshall with concerns the jaw might be broken but happy to say he was given a clean bill of health post match. Then Outside centre Harrison Mitchell who had lead the side while Reilly was on the bench. Was shown a yellow card with twenty minutes to go. In the passage of play leading up to the yellow card he had pulled his hamstring and after his ten minute cooling down period he was unable to retake the field with Holder on his way to get stitched up and Monk nursing his jaw Reigatian were forced to finish the game with 14 men as Dave Niven had already replaced Sam Foreman with a sore back. This allowed Battersea to take control of the game and score a couple more tries to move the scoreline to 12-34. However it was the gutsy OR’s that scored the last try with Tom Woodford showing good pace to finish of a strong passage of play.

That is four defeats on the bounce which isn’t what this squad is used to but as the injury list reduces it is positive that Sam Foreman, Paul Marshall and Seb Courtney Walker are back and hopefully Dan Jones, Will Parker Joey Goldsmith and Tom Allen are not too far away. With a welcome week off they will look to regroup before they face Old Tiffs. As mentioned earlier a very young 2^nd XV took on Battersea Ironside 3^rd XV and performed really well to take a well earned win 34-17. Saturday’s teams below * shows a current Colt.

1^st XV

1. Ethan Monk 2. Ciaran Nestor 3. Paul Marshall 4. Dan Grant 5. Ben Burrage 6. Sam Foreman 7. Seb Courtney Walker 8. Ryan Taylor Travers 9. Alex Skinner 10. Ben Holder 11. Jonny Bridges 12. Tom Baldwin 13. Harrison Mitchell (cc)14. Finn Coyle 15. Tom Woodford 16. Reilly Franklin Talbot (cc)

2^nd XV

1. Val Garrec 2. Nat Kenyon 3. Mike Layzell 4. George Mitchell 5. Ed Bartlett 6. Ollie Franks* 7. Charlie Cooper* 8. Hugo Mitchell-Heggs 9. Harry Smith 10. Lucas Stephens 11. Scott Fraser* 12. Jaydel Edge* 13.Clay Blackburn* 14. Bobby Munro* 15. Callum Hutchinson 16. Will Telford* 17.Josh Franks* 18. Kev Sheldrick