Old Colfeians fall flat at first home game

4:01pm Tuesday 30th September 2008

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Old Colfeians 15-44 Basingstoke

AFTER two away losses to open the season, there was anticipation the first home game would be different.

Then Basingstoke scored a try after three minutes of play.

The play in both halves of this game on a sunny September afternoon turned out to be remarkably similar. Basingstoke scored early (after three minutes and six minutes respectively), they then scored a few more points (21 in the first half and 15 in the second half), and Old Colfeians scored a try in time added on at the end of each half.

Basingstoke's first try was by back row forward Simon Appleby. Fullback Andrew Fitchett added the conversion and then five minutes later scored a penalty to give Basingstoke the lead 0-11 after 8 minutes.

Old Colfe's fullback James Poole replied for the home side with a penalty after 13 minutes. Though just two minutes later the Basingstoke centre Jamie Fish scored a try to extend the visitors' lead to 3-16.

Old Colfeians continued to be heavily penalised at the breakdown. Half their forwards had changed from the previous week, and there appeared to be little knowledge of what to do to avoid being penalised, whether they were tackled or doing the tackling.

The game was very stop and start, though in this second quarter of the game Colfeians did stop the visitors scoring for about 20 minutes.

Until after 41 minutes the Basingstoke fullback slotted another penalty.

There was still enough time added on for Basingstoke flanker Dan Rees to score a try (converted by Fitchett), and for OC's centre Herman Maritz to score a try for the home side. At half time the home team trailed 8-26.

The second half saw Basingstoke continue to extend their lead with a penalty, a try by centre Simon Buckland (converted), another penalty after 26 minutes (all kicks taken by Fitchett), and a final try by hooker Simon Lovegrove. They led 8-44 at the end of normal time.

In injury time OC's had a scrum just outside the Basingstoke 22 metre line. Number 8 Alan Bateson picked up the ball from the base of the scrum and darted down the blindside. He threw out a dummy pass to create a gap inside the covering defender, and accelerated away from the flat-footed Basingstoke forwards to score a try.

If there had been more enterprise like this in the previous 85 minutes, who knows how different the game could have been?

The next home game for Old Colfeians' 1st team is on Saturday October 11 against Chobham. Kick off is at 3 pm. Spectators are welcome. Directions to the ground are at www.ocrfc.co.uk