Harpenden 3rd Xv vs Finsbury Park 2nd XV

17.9.16 Match report
Harpenden 3rd XV vs Finsbury Park 2s

It was always going to be a daunting task, travelling up to one of only a handful of teams that since our inception in 2012/13 have not only beaten us, but done so in a comfortable manner, with depleted numbers due to injury, illness and holidays. But this is Finsbury Park we are talking about, and we haven’t got to where we are as a club without overcoming setbacks and striving to achieve.
So on Saturday 17th September, the 2s made the trip up in a car convoy. Well three of the four of them did, one was still waiting to pick up the kit (but that’s a different story!) which had the knock on effect of Finsbury only having 11 players ready to go at kick off – not the best way to start a game, but Harpenden were gracious enough to move kick off back a little bit whilst the rest of the team arrived.
That fragmented warm up and lack of preparation resulted in Finsbury being sluggish out of the blocks and with a back line of a few Finsbury debutants playing together for the first time (due once again to a shortage of players this week) it was an advantage that Harpenden pounced on, scoring an early couple of tries with conversions. Chasing the game, Finsbury rallied together and pushed to throw the running and fluid rugby that has been part of the 2s set up over the last week. However, the disparity between the well drilled Harpenden backs and the big, burly, ball carrying forwards meant that whilst chasing the game, Finsbury were still forced into playing the Harps game plan. That meant that we carried the ball into contact and lacked the speed in the ruck to retain ball, all too often being turned over. This happened in the contact around the halfway line and from the resultant turnover, Harps broke for a score to make it three tries to nil. To add to this, the Harpenden kicker, playing fullback, had an incredible day with the boot and only missed one all day, so the three tries made it 21-0.
This seemed to trigger something within the Finsbury pack that up until this point seemed to have been left back in the changing room, and after a series of very solid carries from both Morgan Carter-Tocny and Man of the match, Liam Todd, the ball was quickly recycled in contact. As it was freely available to play and the Harps backs and guards not yet set, scrum-half Ted Coday took this opportunity to not only go quickly, but back his pace to beat the subsequent defender. He then put the burners on to go around the fullback and score a great try, near to the touchline – which unfortunately Rich was unable to convert. Still, 21-5 gave the Fins a platform and a game to chase.
It wasn’t to be however, and seemingly riled by the score against them the Harpenden team rallied together to exploit an overlap and go in for a try of their own in the corner. 28-5 and with the 15 mins left of the first half, Finsbury had a chance to qwell the tide, but the well-disciplined, and structured team proved too strong on the day with 3 more tries scored, three conversions.
So against a seemingly very steep and uphill battle, Finsbury turned around at halftime 42-5 down. With the game seemingly all but lost, it would be easy to think that there would be more of the same to come, but with some excellent squad rotation and changes made by temporary 2s Captain Stephen Partridge, the game kicked off and looked like a much more tight affair. There was still a lack of understanding when it came to set moves and plays, but great heart can be taken from a Finsbury team who lost the first half six tries to one, to come out the way they did in the second. For 15 minutes of the second half we went back and forth across the half way line but neither team were able to break into the opposition 22. When suddenly from a scrum, Teddy hit Nick with a flat pass, Nick popped to Saylan and went on a one man loop around the centre. The ball given back to Nick, he had the running line of Steve to ht for an almost certain try, but who should pop up in the middle but the Harpenden Full-back! He plucked the pass out of the air and ran the full length of the pitch the score a great try, which he dutifully knocked over the conversion too. The deadlock broken and the game surely beyond reach, the Fins player didn’t let their heads drop and the next 10 minutes was all Finsbury pressure, the last pass just going begging.
Again from a counter ruck, the Harpenden guys turned Finsbury over for a move that would ultimately lead to the final try of the game. A series of rucks around the try line and a last ditch tackle sucked the winger in and the Harpenden scrum-half, realising there was no blind side cover, went that way and dotted down in the corner. The kicker unable to convert this one from the right touchline. 54-5.
The last 10 mins was again all Finsbury, resulting in consequtive penaltes in the Harpenden ‘red zone’, but wth the game all but over, the infringements didn’t result in any card being shown and Finsbury were unable to capitalise on quick tap penalites, knocking the ball on in a final last dtch move which ended playing time.
All in all, score wise it was a step back from where the 2s have been over the previous two weeks and you could clearly see the communication and link play was not the same. However, great heart and passion was played with and the fact that the second half was only a two try margin is something to be very proud of. Credit has to go to the Harpenden team, who looked well drilled and well disciplined. We look forward to seeing that same bunch when we return the fixture in North London.
Next week the 1s and 2s are playing a ‘double header’ at home in another first for the club. The first game kicks off at 12pm (2s vs Old Ashmoleans) and second game at 2.30 (1s vs Epping). Hope to see a good crowd.

Team sheet
1. Alex Thomas
2. Stephen Partridge
3. Izzy Turner
4. Aaron Carter
5. Rich Handley
6. Liam Todd
7. Ed Barrett
8. Morgan Carter-Tocny
9. Ted Coday
10. Nick Tewson
11. Dave Wrigley
12. Saylan Lucas
13. Chris Chi
14. Mike Godfrey
15. David Hill
Subs
16. Shey Vincenzie