Bournemouth RFC

Season 2008/2009

Bournemouth Lions sponsored by Wood of Bournemouth, BMW Dealers.

Old Patesians v Bournemouth Lions

The English Clubs Rugby Union Championship – South-West 1

Saturday 25 October 2008, KO 3.00 p.m. at Everest Road.

Result – Old Patesians 20 v 22 Bournemouth. Half-time – 20-0.

Attendance – 100+ approximately.

Referee – Bob McCrudden, Gloucestershire.

Touch Judges – Steve Buffery, Bournemouth. ? Old Patesians.

Bournemouth Team – 15: Mike Pope (2T, 1C, 1P); 14: James Payne; 13: Tim Gray; 12: Scott Chislett (1T); 11: Anthony Dunkerley (Simon McFarlane 65); 10: Ngapaku Ngapaku (1C); 9: Sam Hardcastle; 1: Tim Wareham; 2: Alan Manning; 3: Andy Spikings; 4: Jayson Kenny; 5: Tim Seward (‘Jack’ Petelo 60); 6: Chris Hughes (c); 7: Iain Crombie; 8: Matt Kiely. Unused Substitute: Rye Buffery.

League Debut – ‘Jack’ Petelo.

Scorers – Tries (3): Mike Pope 2 (75m, 78m); Scott Chislett (63m). Cons (2): Ngapaku Ngapaku (63m); Mike Pope (78m). Pens (1): Mike Pope (65m).

Milestones – Mike Pope scores his 100th point for the 1st XV in all games. Matt Kiely plays in his 75th league game. Alan Manning starts his 50th league game. Chris Hughes starts his 25th game for the 1st XV. Domenick Davies misses the trip to Everest Road for the second successive season.

Old Patesians Team – 15: Matt Barrington; 14: Ben Spry; 13: Barney Pascall; 12: Ben Davies; 11: Chris Howell; 10: Paddy Dean (2C, 2P); 1: James King; 2: Matt Deacon; 3: Chris Downes; 4: Brett Harvey; 5: Gethin Evans; 6: Matt Hurdle; 7: Giles Potter; James Pettigrew (c) (2T); Substitutes: Simon Brown, Ollie Ward, Barry Davies.

Scorers – Tries (2): James Pettigrew 2 (7m, 26m). Cons (2): Paddy Dean (7m), James Pettigrew (26m). Pens (2): Paddy Dean (10m, 15m).

Scoring Sequence – 7m: OPs goal (Pettigrew try, Dean con) 0-7; 10m: OPs pen (Dean) 0-10; 15m: OPs pen (Dean) 0-13; 26m: OPs goal (Pettigrew try, Pettigrew con) 0-20; 40m: Half-time 0-20; 63m: Chislett try, Ngapaku con 7-20; 65m: Pope pen 10-20; 75m: Pope try 15-20; 78m: Pope try, Pope con 22-20; 80m: Full-time 22-20.

A game of two halves as witnessed by all the scoring being down the ‘Everest’ Road slope. Bournemouth just could not get into the game, being pegged back by penalties, and found they had a mountain to climb with just a quarter of the game gone. The other side of the coin was that it left sufficient time to make amends and they did. As they got more into the game, they might have scored at the end of the first half which would have lifted the spirits for the second. However they turned round still 20 points down and, even then, it wasn’t until they were into the last quarter of the game that Bournemouth registered their first score. However it was a last gasp effort that saw Pope tie up the scores with his dramatic 80-metre dash for his second try. He then sent Bournemouth into heavenly raptures by capping it all with an even more dramatic conversion from the touchline. To paraphrase dear Cliff Morgan ‘What a finish!’

The threat of rain fortunately held off and it remained fine through out the match spoilt only by a strong south-westerly breeze blowing diagonally down the pitch. Underfoot the pitch was well grassed and ‘took a stud’. Bournemouth won the toss and chose the bottom end so that OPs kicked-off down the slope.

Almost immediately Bournemouth were under pressure when they knocked-on at the kick-off. Fortunately OPs knocked-on themselves as they threatened left inside the Bournemouth 22-metre line from the resultant scrum. Sam Hardcastle made a half break from his scrum but was penalized for holding on as Bournemouth tried to rescue him. This gave fly-half Paddy Dean an early ‘pop‘ at goal but pulled his effort across the face of the goal. From Scott Chislett’s drop-out, blindside-flanker Matt Hurdle chipped the ball back resulting in a Bournemouth knock-on allowing a very lively OPs to maintain their early pressure. However, they subsequently got ‘done’ by referee Bob McCrudden for ‘diving in’ and fly-half ‘Pucks’ Ngapaku was able to clear to the left-hand touch. With a certain penchant for maintaining the pressure on themselves, Bournemouth contrived to get penalized at the line-out and Dean had another ‘crack’ at goal from some 30 metres. His effort was short but was rewarded with a Bournemouth knock-on in front of the posts. From the 5-metre scrum, the OPs’ pack drove Bournemouth back and captain James Pettigrew from his No-8 position scored. Dean had no difficulty in making the score 7-nil in his side’s favour after seven minutes play. To ensure OPs were able to maintain the aforesaid pressure, Bournemouth kicked the restart straight out on the full and were obliged to ‘scrum back’. Can I, from my ivory tower, suggest it would be better to kick-off into the wind for the ball to be carried infield rather than being carried out field! This enabled scrum-half Darren Moore to gleefully ‘hoof’ the ball deep into Bournemouth territory down the right resulting in an OPs’ line-out on the Bournemouth’s 5-metre line. OPs managed to knock the ball on in the line-out and although Matt Kiely drove manfully off the back of the scrum, he was penalized for ‘holding on’ and Dean duly kicked his second goal from some 15 metres to stretch the lead by three points to 10-0 after ten minutes play. Bournemouth were simply not in the game at this juncture in the face of a very lively OPs team. OPs promptly banged the ball back down field from the restart where left-wing Anthony Dunkerley fielded the ball. In the resulting maul, OPs knocked-on and Kiely was in action again as he drove off the back of the scrum. The Bournemouth forwards secured the ball this time and Hardcastle was able to clear to his left. OPs were awarded a scrum at the line-out and scrum-half Moore again used the simple expedient of chipping the ball down field. Ironically this gave rise to Bournemouth’s best effort so far as Dunkerley fielded the ball and went right. He linked with full-back Mike Pope as they crossed the half-way line for the first time from their own efforts but the pass back inside to Dunkerley was adjudged, to the despair of the Bournemouth supporters, to be forward and this promising three-quarter moved was stopped in its tracks by the referee’s whistle. Bournemouth were penalized at the scrum, then again for not ‘being 10-metres’ which brought the goal with Dean’s range confirmed by the ball to be seen sailing between the posts for his third goal. 0-13 after fifteen minutes. Not good! Chislett’s restart was sliced, rather over compensating for his earlier effort perhaps, and fly-half Dean had all the time in the world to return the ball with interest for full-back Pope left with little choice but to find the sanctuary of the touch down his left, nonetheless with a fine kick to the half-way line. Then, for what was not to be the last time in the match, scrum-half Moore, at the line-out, kicked the ball ‘dead’ from a long way out as it was at first carried by the wind and then continued bouncing its way down the slope. The scrum back providing a little relief for the besieged Bournemouth team. In a scrappy passage of play with ball being bounced back and forth, Bournemouth dropped the ball as they tried to break out of the grip of the OPs’ defenders enabling OPs to fly-hack through. However the alert Tim Gray saved the situation but was driven into touch for an OPs line-out. They overthrew the ball and Bournemouth were able to drive back up field where they were awarded a scrum on their 10-metre line. They then went right but kicked in behind the three-quarter line for it to be fielded by full-back Matt Barrington. He in turned kicked back down fielded and as he jumped to retrieve the ball Bournemouth were penalized for ‘tackling the man off his feet’. Dean found touch down his right on Bournemouth’s 22-metre line. OPs set up an excellent drive which carried them over the line but the ball was ‘held up’. From the 5-metre scrum OPs again drove for the line but, when it went down, McCrudden reset it. This time they made sure and Pettigrew duly got his second try. Dean made the score 20-0 after twenty-six minutes play. From the restart, Dean kicked the ball straight out but only after the ball had been passed back to him inside the 22-metre. From the line-out, Hardcastle tried to weave his way through but was dispossessed for an OPs scrum. Ominously Bournemouth struggled to contain the OPs shove and a long kick down the right relieved the situation for the home side. Bournemouth managed to lose the ball at the line-out but, fortunately for them, OPs dropped the ball mid field as they went left. With the Bournemouth scrum under pressure, the situation was not helped when they knocked-on at the scrum and were forced to scrum again. Lo nad behold we won it ‘against the head’! Bournemouth went right but with the referee playing advantage they failed to make sufficient and he came back for a penalty for the OPs’ threes being offside and Ngapaku found touch down the right. Initially outside-centre Tim Gray did well as he punched into the defensive wall but he was robbed of the ball for it to be booted back down field. Dunkerley recovered well and OPs were penalized in their attempts to stop him and Ngapaku found touch on his left. They promptly lost the ball at the line-out but OPs knocked-on for Bournemouth scrum. Bournemouth drove up the middle with hooker Alan Manning typically taking the play to the opposition. As the ball was worked down the tight side first by Gray then by Dunkerley, the latter was forced into touch. Scrum-half Moore had not hesitation in undoing all this hard work by another ‘hoof’ down field. They rather spoilt this effort by being penalized again for ‘diving in’ as they sought to recover the balland Nagapku was able to kick the ball to the safety of the touch on the 10-metre line. The ball was not straight and blindside-flanker Chris Hughes did well to recover the situation by charging down Moore’s rather laboured attempt to kick from the base of the scrum. At least Bournemouth were on OPs’ 22-metre line and when OPs were penalized they had their own throw-in when Ngapaku found touch on the OPs’ 5-metre line. This set up the most promising move of the half from a Bournemouth perspective when they drove up the middle first through Manning then Chislett for loose-head Andy Spikings to break clear. However, just metres short of the line his off-load in the tackle didn’t go to hand and a great opportunity to score before the break was lost. Nonetheless there were strong signs that Bournemouth were ‘getting into the game’.

With in minutes of the restart, Bournemouth had a great opportunity to open their account when OPs were penalized when resisting a promising Bournemouth attack off the back of a line-out down their right. As the ball was moved left first Chislett then Gray were almost through but as it was moved back right through Gray OPs were penalized at the contact. Pope’s attempt from right of the goal was pushed past the near-side post. Continuing their much more promising play, Bournemouth attacked going left but after playing advantage were awarded a penalty for Ngapaku to find touch down the right. From the line-out, the forwards initially drove for the line but when they were held up released the ball to the threes as they went left. Although OPs seemed to win the ball back Bournemouth were awarded a scrum They went right but were penalized and Dean was able to find touch on his left. Bournemouth countered with a strong run by first Gray then openside-flanker before being forced into touch. Bournemouth won the ball on the OPs’ throw and drove forward. OPs were penalized and Ngapaku found touch on the OPs’ 5-metre line. A promising start to the half but was rather spoilt by knocking the ball on at the line-out. As they tried to break out OPs were again penalized and Bournemouth quickly got their threes in action. Unfortunately after apparently securing the ball in the contact there was a knock-on. Pettigrew, in typical fashion, broke away from the base of the scrum and made an inordinate amount of ground. They made even more ground when Bournemouth were penalized for not rolling away and right-wing Chris Howell was called upon to find touch on Bournemouth’s 22-metre line down his left. The throw-in was not straight and, although they initially lost the ball in the scrum, Kiely did well to recover it and put Hardcastle into space. However the scrum-half was penalized in the contact and Dean found touch down the same side some thirty metres out. OPs secure the ball but drop it for a Bournemouth scrum when OPs are penalized and Ngapaku finds touch on the half-way line on his right. OPs steal the Bournemouth ball and attack through their threequarters. Their kick into the Bournemouth 22-metre was fielded by full-back Pope. However his kick went ‘lon’ and Bournemouth found themselves instead scrummaging inside their own 22-metre line.. OPs first wnt right then were forced back left where a strong tackle by Ngapaku forces a knock-on. Hardcastle in an attempt to break out, loses the ball in the contact and Bournemouth were defending a 5-metre scrum. Pettigrew made a typical thrust off the back of the scrum but OPs were penalized and Ngapaku kicked for touch down the left. He didn’t find touch. The kick back by OPs was secured by Bournemouth and first Chislett then Gray make an exciting break clear only for the latter to drop the ball for an OPs scrum. They kick the ball into the Bournemouth 22-metre but Pope is able to clear down his right. From a scrum down that same side, Hardcastle made a typical break down the short side to find the supporting Pope. Disappointingly his pass back inside went to an OPs’ hand who gratefully kicked it into touch. Nonetheless some promising signs from the Bournemouth threes. This set up a Bournemouth line-out and when the ball was fed to Ngapaku he worked well with his inside-centre to create the gap and Chislett was through under the posts for his first score of the season. Ngapaku added the two points and at last, 63 minutes into the game, Bournemouth were on the scoreboard at 7-20. An excellent score nonetheless. OPs who clearly hadn’t learned from Bournemouth’s earlier error, kicked the ball out and were forced to scrum back. As has been so many times from these situations it fatally immediately gives the advantage back to the other side and sure enough with play taken back to the OPs’ 22-metre line they were caught offside and Pope kicked his first points and Bournemouth had halved the deficit at 10-20 just two minutes later. At this point Pope was moved to left-wing instead of Dunkerley and Simon McFarlane took over at full-back. From the restart another Bournemouth kick went ‘dead’ and they were forced to concede a scrum just 15 metres from their own try line. The situation was again saved with another OPs transgression and Ngapaku was able to find a safe touch down the left. From the line-out Gray again made a break but his pass was too high forcing right-wing James Payne to fatally half check which was enough to allow the OPs’ defence to recover when he seemed to be clear. However OPs knocked the ball on to give a Bournemouth scrum on their 22-metre. Chislett made a break but OPs were again penalized. Gray took a quick penalty but with Bournemouth in full cry, replacement ‘Jack’ Petelo was held up just short of the line under the posts. However Bournemouth were not to be denied. From the scrum they quickly got the ball through the hands for the new left-wing Pope to spot the ball wide out on the left. His kick was wide of the posts but his side, crucially, had remarkably got back to within one score of the opposition at 15-20 with some five minutes to go. Then disaster. From the kick-off, another kick goes long and Bournemouth for the third time conceded a scrum inside their own 22-metre. I am not sure how it happened but from the scrum Bournemouth managed to get the ball into Pope’s hands. He was almost collared but shook off the tackle. Then he was off. It was difficult to see exactly was happening but one thing was for sure he wasn’t being tackled as he sped off down his touch. Right at the end they almost got him but he was over in the corner. 20-20. A remarkable symmetry with the result of the game last season! However the young Pope spoilt this statistical nicety by kicking a simply remarkable goal to break OPs’ hearts. However there was more drama to come. From the kick-off Bournemouth won a penalty on their left and, after consulting the referee, simply kicked the ball into touch with out attempting to make any ground down field. Then horror. The referee indicated a Bournemouth throw-in. Oh my heavens now we’re going to lose the ball and OPs will score. However we dashed OPs’ hopes by securing the ball which was unceremoniously kicked into touch to end the game and we had secured a quite remarkable win.

For the neutral it wasn’t a bad game of rugby football with some exciting play from both sides although the Bournemouth backs were much more threatening. After that shaky start against a lively OPs team who chased everything with relish putting Bournemouth under considerable pressure, they slowly began to exert themselves with out any suggestion they were going to overwhelm the home side. Bournemouth didn’t help their cause with a number of mistakes but credit is due to a side that had the determination and organization to prevail in the end and secure a very satisfactory win. Boys’ Own stuff!

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