The one negative of a double header is whoever wrote the match report was in the shower at kick off, so we start 5 minutes in. As are trying to get out their 22..

The Actonians’ 10’s kick is blocked by a charging Freddie Bromley. Franny & Moran chase through to put on a lot of pressure as the As scramble to reestablish control inside their 5. Finally a good clearance with blockers gets them out of the danger zone. Finsbury line out on the 40 goes long and is knocked on by our Australian all rounder Mitch. Strong attacking play by the As slowly drives them up the pitch and eventually nets them a line out on the Finsbury 5 metre line.

Pressure is on for the first time in the match, Park are more than equal to it. Big Billy Haverson cleanly steals the attacking lineout, allowing DM to clear to half way. Actonians’ 14 thinks he's done a great job catching the spinning ball, but he's immediately stopped by Micklejohn chasing his own kick all the way up the pitch. As roll up the pitch again into the Fins 22, take Finsbury all the way to the far corner, then spin out from middle of the pitch to an overlap, their 15 steps in between two Fins for a try under the posts. Somehow not converted: 0-5

Ever reliable kicking machine Victor puts a beauty into the sky and Bromley booms some poor Actonian 2nd row, leading to a knock on and the first of a series of scrums.

Messy play on both sides continues the scrumaging game, with neither side able to establish dominance. Finsbury eventually break the scrum deadlock and kick out, giving Actonians a lineout on their 10. They've clearly not been watching all our games, as they decide to try and run through Harrow*s favourite teacher Mr Branford. Big hit, back you go, A+. Max and Billy follow this up with a double hit to send them backwards again, which forces a kick. A rare mistake under the high ball from Miklejohn results in a knock on, and an Actonians’ scrum on the 22. Ruck, ruck, then the biiiiig Actonians prop powers through Jude+1. Actonians knock on. Fins get the ball, Jake little run, Harry kicks into touch but from outside the 22 (maybe it was his bad leg??) Actonians’ lineout deep in Finsbury half. Never fear, the dynamic lifting trio of Stevens, Haverson, and De Podesta spoils again.

*Not the famous Harrow school, but a school in Harrow

They scored. I missed it. I was gassing up the 2s on the sidelines. BTW go read their match report too. 0-10

Off the restart Finsbury quickly win the ball, with a huge run from Moran, possibly an even bigger one from Stevens, out to Birkett on the wing who steps one, but gets put into touch.

The record will say what came next was an Actionians’ line out, but like so many before it may as well have been thrown in by green and gold, because it came back on our side. Off some good phase play, too-injured-to-train-but-can-apparently-play Tysseling steps back inside, is tackled, but a quick ruck with no guards gives Shing a free pick and go. He juuust gets scragged by a desperate defender, pops to Bromley, who runs through, goes down, quick recycle, Haverson is there for the tip, breaks through and scores. Converted. 7-10

We get a penalty near half way, and kick. We win our lineout from 15 metres out, maul, which they can only stop with a very illegal sack. Penalty Fins, leads to a line out on the 5. Which we overthrow and Actonians recover, they make good yards, but perhaps this was a secret Finsbury play because HWR is somehow in that ruck and turns it over (one of those classic jackley things). Pick and go, pick and go, Paddy straight through. 14-10

"I don't want to ever tackle Paddy, and neither do these guys" - overheard on sidelines

Very lazy kick from us, but their winger under no pressure except from the sidelines trips himself up trying to catch, Birkett over the top wins a penalty. Kick down to their 10, lineout, shit Finsbury backs hands, knock on, scrum, crossfield by them, lovely knock back by their winger, to the other winger, try Actonians. 14-17

Pen on our 5, Haverson kick (apparently there’s nothing he can’t do?), Actonians win a line out on our 10, but their centres knock on, Paddy steals and goes for a huge run through. Fins eventually spill the ball but Actonians were all offside. HWR takes the penalty quickly and we’re up to the 5, rhino, rhino, ball comes right, ball goes left, and somehow we get caught holding on Actonians’ penalty.

Clearance As. Line out on the half way. Mitch Scott steals, we kick, Actonians return. DM clean catch, gets round 3 Actonians’ players before an offload to Birkett, steps back inside, DM rucks over. Actonians give away another penalty. Yellow. Even the ref agrees it’s getting silly now. Fins lineout, Billy catches, maul, Bromley scores. Straight off the training ground. 19-17

Almost as soon as that yellow is up, Actonians show a real hatred for the 15 man game by getting themselves another yellow card and continue to play with 14.
Fins pen 5 metres out, tap and go, big carries from Joyce, Smith & Thomas give Finsbury the go forward for Stevens to barrel over and score our 3rd. 24-17

Actonians’ restart goes deep, and HWR decides to cross field kick about 10 metres in front of our line. "If he gets that right, Toby's in" - the sidelines respect the attempt.
But unfortunately he didn't get it right. So Barton has to catch right in front of his own posts, hands off one, and clears properly.

Actonians get a pen bang in the middle of the pitch. HWR decides that’s too far from our try line and chats back to the ref. It goes forward 10 metres for Actonians to kick.

Actonians’ lineout, down the line. 5 on 1 against DM, he attempts intercept and knocks on, somehow that’s not a yellow. Terrified of the Finsbury lineout, Actonians run the penalty. Big hits from the 3Bs, Bromley, Branford, and Birkett. Actonians run into touch and put the ball down over the try line. The ref completely ignores our touch judge (maybe because it was Aslan?) and awards them a try. 24-22.

Restart, catch, Fins pen for holding on, Actonians get a third yellow. This one was for calling the ref something which you shouldn’t say, so probably a deserved card. Up 10, we kick. And that’s the game. 27-22

MOTM: Victor Shing
DOTD: HWR
Tries: Haverson, Joyce, Bromley, Stevens
Convs: Shing (2)
Pens: Shing (1)