When the Going gets Cuff, the Tough get Going

A perfect day for rugby and two teams who by the high standard of the warm ups were both clearly up for this crunch match. Cuffley, not wanting to stray from the league’s stereotype had a massive pack of angry looking men, however, their backs also looked like they might actually fancy having a go too.
Fins started well when a clearance kick from Cuffley didn’t find touch and Shin caught the ball in the wide channel and offloaded to Freddie who was able to race down the touchline and dot over for the first try of the game. Tewson missed the conversion, a sign of things to come (0-5 Park).
The physicality of the game then started to take its toll and Fin’s talismanic second row Rob was forced off injured after a strong carry. Luckily, he’s got all the free treatment he’d ever need from a lucrative advertising deal.
Cuffley then tried to use their heftier pack to breach the Finsbury Park line from a few meters out. However, after a heroic defensive effort from the team, which included big hits from DC and Musson, Finsbury Park won a turnover and cleared their lines. It was later discovered that Musson lost the entire sole of his boot and played the rest of the match with only one set of studs.
Park were next to strike and produced some scintillating counter attacking play. It looked certain that some neat hands would lead to the try until Portsmouth, who must have been watching Fin Russell this season or fancied necking a pint at the end of the match, attempted a delicate attacking chip into Cuffley’s 22. Luckily for him it paid off and the Chip was taken by Freddie who offloaded back to Portsmouth who Put Shin away in the corner. Tewson missed conversion (0-10 Fins).
Cuffley then started to come into the came and showed some decent carrying from the base of the ruck. Cuffley’s fortunes got better when DC who had been smashing people all game received a nasty knock to the knee and was forced off. The pace of the game then slowed, and Finbsury Park smartly opted to go for the posts after winning a pen in front of Cuffley’s posts. Captain Nick Tewson was clearly not fazed by his earlier misses and stepped up and slotted the kick (0-13 FP).
Cuffley continued to impose their power game and started to dominate and eventually scored their first try. Conversions missed (5-13). The injuries started mounting for Fins as Nick Evans (on Dayboooo) clocked a boot to the jaw after showing promising signs in attack. Waldo and Santiago came on and looked powerful, Will Monk covered well on the wing and Shin was imperious moving to fullback. However, Cuffley maintained their dominance and scored a quick brace to make the score 17-13 going into half time.
Great carrying from Morse and a big hits from Graham kept Fins in the game in the second half which was largely dominated by the home team. Fins sensing the game starting to get away from them stepped up the pressure and marched up the field with good carries from Danny and Moran in the tight and snipes from James at 9. Eventually Fins won a penalty in a kickable area, luckily just before the tee got brought on someone realised that Fins were in fact 4 point behind and needed a try to win. Tewson bravely pinged the ball into touch deep in Cuffley’s half and it looked like it was last chance Saloon for Fins to nick the W. Fins lineout successfully won the ball, Tewson fired out a miss pass to Sonny Bill Portsmouth who drew in two defenders before offloading out the back to Freddie on the inside who crashed over leading to scenes of pure jubilation from the team. Job not done though. Business as usual as Tewson missed the conversion (17-18 Park).

With minutes left on the clock Freddie seemed determined to spoil the party as he caught the restart and spooned it into touch inside Fins 22. After more heroic defence Cuffley somehow were awarded a penalty inside Finsbury Parks half and they opted for the 3 points to seal the win at the death. As the crowd turned silent Cuffley’s kicker stepped up and hit the conversion wide. In the last play of the game Fins took the drop out and prepared to defend for their lives. After a few waves of Cuffley attack on Fins 22 the ball finally got knocked on and the game was over, a heroic 1 point away win for Finsbury Park.