Woodford vs Tabard
Woodford Defeat Tabard to Claim an Important First Victory
Woodford 23 – Tabard 6
Woodford powered their way to victory on the first day of the season courtesy of two first half tries from Red Newbury and a late finish from number 8 Robbie Connell.
Woodford started the brighter, keeping Tabard pegged back in their own half but the Tabard defence held firm and Woodford indiscretions allowed the Tabard fly half Jack Riley to chalk his sides first points with a penalty. Woodford hit back almost immediately with a penalty of their own following some strong line out work and scrummaging with John Dwight knocking the ball between the sticks.
However, an excellent restart from the quick thinking Riley resulted in a further penalty for the Hertfordshire side. It was to prove to be Tabard’s last points of the game as Woodford combined powerful forward play with superb defence to squeeze their opposition. The Tabard pack were unable to legally stop Woodford’s from progressing as the home side increased the tempo of their game. The continuous penalties close to their own line could only result in a sin bin and eventually the referee sent a Tabard second row to the bin for ten minutes rest.
Both Woodford first half tries were scored in similar fashion – strong forward play from a line out. On both occasions it was second row Red Newbury who cam up triumphant. Neither try was converted and so Woodford went into half time 13-6 to the good.
A tight second half was expected and Tabard started to throw everything at Woodford. Only stern defending kept the Hertfordshire side out. Woodford were unable to execute the same control in the line out that they did in the first half but were destroying the Tabard scrum every time. This led to a fragmented middle period of the game with neither side looking like adding to their first half scores. Tabard started to get their line out functioning properly though and with around ten minutes to go returning hooker Rowsell was adjudged to have pulled down a maul and was sent to the touchline to think about what he had done for ten minutes. However, Tabards inability to keep their own scrum ball saw Robbie Connell put prop Eleftheriou into space – a powerful run and offload to supporting flanker Eugene Pitou making his debut in Woodford colours allowed for some quick ruck ball. The ball was passed quickly from Bevan to Connell who sneaked over the line by a nose to register his first try of the season.
The game started to open up and Eleftheriou once again broke and fed Bevan who was tackled – unfortunately the move broke down but Woodford were showing that they also had some flair.
An excellent result for Woodford – Tabard are expected to be one of the challengers for the title along with Chingford, Bury St Edmunds and Staines so to get off to a win against one of the leagues top sides shows that Woodford mean business this year.
