Bournemouth RFC

Season 2008/2009

Bournemouth Lions sponsored by Wood of Bournemouth, BMW Dealers.

Bournemouth Lions v Ealing Trailfinders

EDF Energy National Trophy – Round 1

Saturday 18 October 2008, KO 3.00 p.m. at Chapel Gate

Result – Bournemouth 14 v Ealing 33. Half-time – 9-14.

Attendance – 300+ approximately.

Referee – Steve Harland, Devon.

Touch Judges – Paul Stanley, Buckinghamshire; ‘Jack’ Russell, Bristol.

Bournemouth Team – 15: Domenick Davies; 14: James Payne; 13: ‘Eddy’ Edwards; 12: Scott Chislett 11: Mike Pope (3P); 10: Simon McFarlane (Martyn Lever 56); 9: Jamie Mitchell; 1: Tim Wareham (Andy Spikings 47 (1T)); 2: Dan Cawley; 3: Alan Manning (Jo Burns 75); 4: Jayson Kenny; 5: Tim Seward (Iain Crombie 67); 6: Chris Hughes (c); 7: James Burry; 8: Matt Kiely (‘Jack’ Petelo 56). Unused Substitute: Tim Gray.

Debut – ‘Jack’ Petelo.

Scorers – Tries: Andy Spikings (80m). Pens: Mike Pope 3 (13m, 22m, 29m).

Milestones – Andy Spikings scores his first points for Bournemouth. Scott Chislett starts his 75th game in all matches for Bournemouth 1st XV.

Ealing Trailfinders Team – 15: Simon Bundy (2T); 14: Joe Hardy; 13: Neil Brown (Freddie Edwards 40); 12: Neville Edwards; 11: Kiba Richards (1T); 10: Joe Price; 9: Peter Hodgkinson (4C); 1: Sungo Kuwana; 2: Scott Hodson; 3: Steven Neville (Paul Cotter 47); 4: Hugo Seccombe; 5: Dan Porter (Joe Burford 3-5); 6: Chris Rowe (Adam Hulmston 73); 7: Rowan Halsall; 8: Ryan Gregory (c) (2T). Unused Substitutes: Shane Brady, Dan Porter, Hugo Watney.

Scorers – Tries: Simon Bundy 2 (11m, 47m), Ryan Gregory 2 (62m, 70m), Kiba Richards (8m). Cons: Peter Hodgkinson 4 (8m, 11m, 47m, 62m).

Scoring Sequence – 8m: Ealing goal (Richards (11) try, Hodgkinson (9) con) 0-7; 11m: Ealing goal (Bundy (15) try, Hodgkinson (9) con) 0-14; 13m: Pope pen 3-14; 22m: Pope pen 6-14; 29m: Pope pen 9-14; 40m: Half-time 9-14; 47m: Ealing goal (Bundy (15) try, Hodgkinson (9) con) 9-21; 62m: Ealing goal (Gregory (8) try, Hodgkinson (9) con) 9-28; 70m: Ealing try (Gregory (8)) 9-33; 80m: Spikings try 14-33; Full-time 14-33.

We mustn’t lose sight of the fact that this was a 5-try-to-one defeat but I would challenge the verdict of a national newspaper that we were ‘…put to the sword as Ealing made light work of sending the South West One outfit’s cup charge crashing at the first hurdle’. As a partisan Bournemouth supporter, I suppose I would say that wouldn’t I! I suppose also that I can’t argue with the fact that we fell ‘…at the first hurdle.’ but ‘…put to the sword…’, ‘…made light work…’ I will argue against that. Ealing have only once scored less than 46 points against their National 3 South opponents this season when they beat Rosslyn Park 19-8 in their opening match. A very spirited Bournemouth team refused to lie down against a strong and talented side and, although they might have been under the cosh for the most of the game, I am sure the Ealing players didn’t feel that they had it their own way. Then right at the end, when lesser teams may well have wilted under the constant pressure, there was enough spirit and strength to score an 80-metre try when they returned a dispiriting long-range kick down field, after some five minutes or so of their own pressure on the Ealing line, for prop Andy Spikings to finish off a terrific breakout by young Mike Pope to run the final 20 metres or so to score his first try for Bournemouth. It was a magic moment, a magical move, whether you are partisan or not!

With Bournemouth continuing to enjoy some very fine weather, the scene was again set for an enjoyable game of rugby football with an initial freshish westerly breeze easing. Ealing won the toss and chose to defend the easterly end, i.e. facing that breeze, so Bournemouth kicked off from left to right as viewed from the stand.

Before the game, nobody had any illusions about the task that Bournemouth faced and this was quickly confirmed when the dangerous Ealing left-winger, Kiba Edwards showed what pace he had to burn when he was put away by centre Neil Brown for an early score as Ealing deftly swung the ball first right then left as they tested the Bournemouth defence. Bournemouth supporters became even more fearful when full-back Simon Bundy got in for his first try and with scrum-half Peter Hodgkinson adding the two points with an ominously competent kicking style Bournemouth were obviously on the rack despite some heroic defensive tackling. However, immediately from the second restart, Bournemouth got their first points on the board courtesy of a 27-metre penalty from left-wing Mike Pope when Ealing transgressed on receipt of the ball. Facing opponents that play at a pace they simply don’t see week in week out coupled with a confidence with ball in hand to ‘step’ opponents whether you are a forward or a back Bournemouth did so well to contain Ealing, especially that man on the left with James Payne doing a great job of stifling the threat. There were also some encouraging signs in the scrum which held steady enabling scrum-half Jamie Mitchell, in only his second match, to get the ball away to fly-half Simon McFarlane to either kick long or set his own threes free. However it was a great break by hooker Dan Cawley, who had an outstanding match, that took the fight deep into Ealing’s 22-metre. They did well to recover the ball but were caught by referee Steve Harland, who also had an excellent game of typical firmness coupled with a sympathy for what was trying to be achieved, for handling on the ground. Pope kicked, dare I say, a simple goal from just inside the 22-metre line and in front of the posts. 6-14 after twenty-two minutes. With Bournemouth showing signs of matching their opponents for speed to the breakdown and at times driving them off the ball Ealing knew that they were in a game. However it was Bournemouth mistakes that hampered progress but they were lucky when, having overthrown the ball at a line-out down the right right into the arms of Rowan Halsall, the openside-flanker was off like a shot only for Ealing to be ‘pinged’ by Harland. Pope kicked an excellent goal from the 10-metre line to make the score 6-14 after twenty-two minutes play. Ealing were straight on the offensive down the left and then, with the referee playing advantage went right. They progressed far enough for the advantage to be over and Bournemouth managed to win the ball back and were awarded a scrum inside their own 22-metre line. No-8 Matt Kiely, in typical fashion, drove hard at the Ealing defence before the ball was released for McFarlane to clear down field. Ealing stole the ball at a Bournemouth line-out and the strong inside-centre Neville Richards, as he did on a number of occasions, punched a great hole in the Bournemouth defence. Bournemouth scrambled back and did well to win the ball back and did even better to get the ball to Pope who was quick to counter. He passed back inside to the supporting Payne but, getting isolated, was disappointingly penalized for ‘holding on’. Bournemouth, nonetheless, ventured to show enterprise of their own and there was a large groan from the crowd when a promising move down the left with players in space outside broke down when the ball was dropped midfield.

To start the second half, Ealing kicked the ball dead and were forced to scrum back at the half-way line. Bournemouth went right but a chip through by full-back Domenick Davies was returned with some interest by Ealing with a long kick down field where the covering McFarlane was obliged to concede a throw-in. Scott Chislett did well to nick the ball off No-8 Ryan Gregory in mid-field in a typically robust tackle. Ealing were awarded the scrum but new scrum-half Freddie Edwards conceded a free kick for ‘feeding’ and in a moment of over excitement to take advantage openside-flanker James Burry contrived to knock the ball and Ealing were given the scrum. To atone for the error, remarkably Bournemouth shoved Ealing off the ball and it allowed a run by Pope down the short side. Typically in these situations, Ealing robbed Bournemouth of the ball and were quick to swing the ball wide to their left and there was the dangerous inside-centre Edwards on another of his defence busting runs. Bournemouth scrambled it into touch for Tim Seward to steal their ball from the line-out but a poor kick out of defence saw the ball in Richards’ hands for the left-winger to kick and chase deep into the Bournemouth 22-metre. Full-back Davies did well to recover. However, with play mostly in the Bournemouth 22-metre, the defence was overwhelmed and full-back Bundy was through for Hodgkinson to convert and give the vistiors a ten-point advantage at 9-19 seven minutes into the half. Despite the numerous Ealing attacks with Edwards causing all sort of problems it was another fifteen minutes before they could add to their score when they drove the Bournemouth scrum back from 5-metre for No-8 Gregory to score his first try. At this juncture, there were also signs of Bournemouth’s scrum struggling to hold their own as Ealing continued to attack although that didn’t stop some adventurous runs off the back of the scrum by Kiely as he tested the resolve of the Ealing defence. Even when Bournemouth got into Ealing territory, Ealing seem to counter so effectively that Bournemouth were forced back onto the defensive deep in their own half. However the possible pessimistic view that Ealing might run riot in the last quarter was not justified and they managed just one more score when some robust rucking on Bournemouth’s line saw Gregory drive over for his second try. Hodgkinson for once fluffed his lines as he pushed his well-struck kick past the far post but Ealing led 33-9 with ten minutes to go. Astonishingly Bournemouth seemed to find a second breath for those last critical ls minutes. Tight-head prop Alan Manning made a great run charging into the Ealing tacklers and there were any number of eager supporters who still had the energy to help drive him onwards. The result was Ealing were forced to defend their line as the Bournemouth forwards strove to find their way through. Prop replacement Andy Spikings almost got through and Hardman had a long word with the Ealing forwards as they apparently defended illegally. Replacement fly-half Chislett found touch down the left from the resulting penalty. The initial drive by the forwards was stopped and as they went right Ealing won the ball and put in a huge siege relieving kick down field. After all that immense pressure there was no reward. Full-back Davies with an energy-sapping run worked very hard to get back inside his own 22-metre area to retrieve the ball. As he was threatened he got it away to Pope in space. The youngster need no second bidding and accelerated away. He spun out of one tackle and then another tight on his own touchline and was across the half-way line before he was collared. He got the ball back inside to support and as they crossed the Ealing 22-metre line and committed the last of the Ealing defence there was, dare I say, the unlikely figure of prop Andy Spikings to take the pass and who had the legs to carry the ball those last agonizing twenty or so metres to score a memorable try just wide of the posts. Pope had been hurt in that final tackle and replacement kicker Martyn Lever, much to the disappointment of the crowd, pulled his conversion attempt just wide of the near post. It mattered naught, referee Steve Harland had seen enough and blew for no side.

Bournemouth gave a terrific spirited performance of great courage in their attempts to contain a very good National side who clearly are doing well in the higher division. It is invidious to pick out any individual and I won’t. Suffice to say everyone gave their all to the cause but the whole experience is tempered by the realization of the mountain that needs to be climbed if we aspire to such heights. That doesn’t mean that the slope is too steep to be negotiated though!!

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