Greenwich Admirals 36-34 Southampton Spitfires (From News Shopper)

Greenwich Admirals 36-34 Southampton Spitfires

12:26pm Tuesday 23rd June 2009 in

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GRENWICH Admirals maintained their 100 percent winning home record with a dramatic late victory against Southampton Spitfires.

Southampton had been the only team so far this season to steal points away from the ever powerful Greenwich side, so the stage was set for a bludgeoning battle.

Having won by a narrow margin in Southampton, the Spitfires entered the game full of confidence and showed this early on with powerful running from their front row pairing of Cuffin and Dymolt.

Some sloppy defending by Greenwich allowed the Spitfires to gain an early lead, running in three tries (two converted) to go 16-0 up within the first 12 minutes. Greenwich seemed unable to get into a stride pattern but showed how capable they were with ball in hand after the backs shipped it out to debutant Chris Bolton, who made a strong 40 yard run, only to be brought down injured and needing replacement.

Incomplete sets gave Southampton more opportunities.

Again they made it through the Admirals defence with an individual show of class from full back Gray, who chipped the ball through and found himself to touch down.

Strong words were spoken underneath the Admirals posts, which obviously fired Greenwich into action.

Tireless running from Admirals forwards Flisick and Jones set up a platform for the backs to show what they are capable of.

Some quick thinking from half back Pete Gent saw Greenwich running the ball to the blind-side and lightning fast hands from Johnson put Bene Medhurst in for the score.

Greenwich ended the half in much stronger fashion.

Good handling from Michael Hook saw Chris Geary power through three tacklers to touch down before the half-time siren.

The conversion was missed to leave Greenwich trailing 22-8 at the midway point.

Replacements were made by both sides and fresh legs seemed to lift the increasing belief in the Admirals camp.

Jim Spark led a ferocious onslaught which saw Louis Newton, brothers Ben and Liam Johnson, and Nick Wordsworth tear through the Spitfires organised defensive line.

Half-back replacement Chris Williams dazzled the crowd with direct running and clinical passing which eventually led to a dubious move with the outside-backs putting Gregory King-Underwood in for the first try of the second half. Elusive running and a fine team effort saw Nick Agbo power over for the Admirals’ second try of the half, which was neatly converted by replacement kicker Paul Jackson.

Southampton felt the pain midway through the second half when back-to-back sets brought no score change even after some slick handling through the hands of Gray, Monk, Woodhouse and Nelson.

Nelson and his men were beginning to feel the squeeze of the Admirals defence.

The scores were leveled by the team try of the day.

Man of the match winner Chris Williams started a move which went through the hands of Hooky, Newton and Johnson before McKinley put Medhurst through for a 30 yard sprint for the line.

Evading the attempted tackles by the full-back and winger, Medhurst coolly ran the ball under the sticks for Jacko to calmly convert.

With the game hanging on a knife edge, Admirals struck again through a nice move between the halves which saw Agbo touch down for his second which he then converted.

Southampton, clearly not down-and-out, were able to exploit some fatigue in Greenwich legs and brought the score to 30-28 with a converted try in the final 10 minutes.

It was left to Greenwich skipper Anthony Johnson to raise the crowds’ hopes once again with a superb individual effort that saw him run 40m and touch down in the corner.

With not long left to go, further replacements were made to try and secure the win and Cultrera showed magnificent defence, along with other tired Admirals.

The Spitfires looked to have changed the fate of the game when a line-break saw loose-forward Canvex touch down for a converted try to bring the scores level at 34-34.

It could not have been a more nail-biting finish as Greenwich relentlessly hammered at the door of the Southampton try-line to desperately clinch the victory.

Some interference at the ruck gave the referee no other option but to pull out his whistle and sound a golden ticket to the deserving Greenwich attack.

The Greenwich coaching staff and the team lined up behind Jackson to wait for the kick.

With composure and a desire to win, the Admirals, with the help of a fine kick by Jackson, willed the ball through the posts for a 36-34 lead.

Greenwich Admirals had won their greatest victory yet and had secured their position as dominant league leaders.