What could have been a game of quite immense
proportions played on a pitch worthy of being laid at the new millennium
stadium between two teams at the peak of their professions (and sport!!)
on a glorious hot summers day on the East coast near the clear, inviting,
blue waters lapping the beaches of Great Yarmouth's 'Golden Mile' wasn't!!
What it was was thirty players (plus sub(s),
which we leant them) prepared to play in typical local conditions slogging
it out on a cold, windy, sleet and rainy Saturday afternoon for the special
honour of being able to go and purchase a pint of specially priced £1
Boddingtons. (Sounds good to me anyway).
The game started off extremely well
for the home side: they got into Wisbech's half on about the 15-20 minute
mark yet, despite incessant pressure, conceded not a score and, as the
result shows, neither did they through the remainder of the game. But
they looked decidedly dodgy on more than ten one occasions. All credit
to Wisbech for running at the Broadland players who, despite their ferocious
looks, don't like that particular part of this wonderful sport called
tackling!
The first score came from some wonderful
play, the ball flashing between the three-quarters, seemingly on a continuous
flight as it passed down the line cutting through the air, from one pair
of solid hands to the next and resulting in a fine try for the home side
the scorer of which I'm not sure as I was in the clubhouse getting myself
a coffee. The conversion was, unfortunately, deflected from the left upright
(well I didn't see that either (coffee still) but I'm sure that's what
happened). The kicking was up to it's excellent standard (please Lisa,
can Looney have his boots back please?) with M. Pywell's protégé
outdoing the master (?!!) - once again, PLEASE LISA!!!
The remainder of the game looked at all
times fairly safe with 80% of the Broadland side tackling up to expectations,
only occasionally fumbling with the ball, playing football with it and,
not mentioning any names, having a mad five in the second-half - as we
all do - with ever encouraging and increasing support from the heavy brigade
section of the supporters who, as a matter of interest, were not lured
to the ground purely on the offer of Boddingtons at the aforementioned
price, but with the desire to watch a good game of rugby (and to take
the piss where the situation warranted it) - to which they aspired to
their usual standard.
One particular try in the first half does
deserve a mention and that involved approximately two thirds of the Broadland
team (the other third not being able to keep up with play - as per...)
with the ball passing from forwards to three-quarters and back, from hand
to hand, the support being excellent , a superb try, the scorer of which
I'm not sure as at a distance of the length of the pitch you all look
the same (Fat bloke and Neil excluded) - it even warranted tumultuous
applause from the supporters which would only have been exceeded had they
put their beers down .
Well played to all yesterday, it was a good
game to watch despite the conditions (dirty glasses, etc. - only joking
Myster Goff), and many thanks to Wisbech, we hope to see you in these
pastures again. Just before we (I) close a few mention to those who excelled
themselves yesterday:
Well done to Rocky for keeping his
fists in his pockets (or was he holding on to 'is fags?);
Pug for using his vast years of
experience to help the younger players yet still make those basic errors;
Fat bloke for being - well, fat bloke;
Jason Pollard for keeping the supporters
entertained during his second-half 'mad five' attempt at football, basketball,
synchronized pole-vaulting, etc.;
The Welsh element for showing the
foreigners how to play proper rugby;
Pug for being the oldest and wisest
on the pitch;
Lisa for hiding Looney's boots so
that Pug would continue to look good the oldest and wisest on the pitch;
Mark LaCock for turning up playing
turning up so that the supporters can start using the South African
jokes with impunity; Neil!
John Miller for having the decorum
not to put lemonade tops in his Boddy's;
That band of close knit supporters
(on both sides of the field) who brave atrocious conditions repeatedly
to watch 30 players run about on a Saturday afternoon (this time it
has nothing to do with £1 a pint - yeah right!);
and finally, as head reporter (with a full
head of hair), my award of man-of-the-match goes to the Welshman (oh,
that's me), well, to the other Welshman, well played sir.
Though Walsham brought Tigers winning streak to an abrupt
end at Cobholm the home side were always in with a chance, never hanging
heads against this Super Club with strength in depth a-plenty.
Soon after kick-off Walsham turned on the pressure, keeping
Tigers camped in their own 22 with heavy forward play. A charged down
Broadland kick saw the Walsham flanker romp over the Broadland try line
for a converted score. Broadlands repost was quick and decisive with the
pack pushing over the Walsham line with No. 8 Roger Smithdale grabbing
a try, which remained unconverted.
Soon after this impressive score Broadland knocked on
and Walsham used this advantage to feed the winger for a swift try under
the post. This effort was also converted by the visitors.
Minutes later a bad bounce gifted Walsham with the ball
which allowed the opposition flanker to run in an unconverted try. The
final score one of the first have belonged to Broadland from a penalty
move which saw No.8 Roger Smithdale dummy the Walsham defence, running
in his second try converted by a scrum-half Mickey Pywell, settling the
turnaround at 12 points to 19 points.
The re-start saw a gutsy, totally unfazed Broadland set
out to win this game. With every Tiger knowing the game was there for
the taking, the play rolled from 22-22. No quarter was asked, and none
was given in this clean and sporting encounter. In a game of critical
possession it was Walsham who grabbed the ball in the final minute sending
the winger over for a decisive score which he converted himself. Considering
the vast numbers available for Walsham selection, and the comparative
handful available to local side this was a very good result for Broadland
- and maybe next time......Who knows?
Courtesy, once again, of intrepid reporter Karl Hughes:
A highly controversial penalty try awarded against Broadland
soon after the turnaround was enough to give the emerging Suffolk club
a result over the local Yarmouth outfit in spite of the fact that the
Tigers were in contention and try-hungry right up until the final whistle.
In typical Diss style Broadland found themselves trailing
by an unconverted try after less than five minutes of play. Broadland
turned up the heat and increased the pressure on Diss, forcing a penalty
in the opposition's 22 neatly converted by Tigers' hooker Gary Skinner.
In this game of nip and tuck Diss were next to slot a
penalty pushing them ahead at eight points to three.
The restart saw Broadland take possession of a 50-50
ball sending scrum-half Justin Miller over the Diss goal line for a well-worked
try converted by full-back Mickey Pywell to give the local side an eight
points to ten lead. Such was the intensity of play that any lead was likely
to be short-lived, and this proved to be the case when Diss once again
snatched the lead from a simple penalty kick gifted by a silly Broadland
infringement.
The next score again went to Diss with a well-worked
converted try. This had the effect of galvanising Broadland into a purple
patch, which saw No. 8 Roger Smithdale picking up the first of his brace
of impressive tries, both of which stood unconverted.
With their tails up, and with a spring in their step
Broadland pounded the opposition resulting in a Diss infringement, punished
by the Mickey Pywell boot to level the score at eighteen all on the half-time
whistle.
After the turnaround it was obvious that every Tiger
saw this game as being there for the taking, being an unusual occurrence
when playing away at the hugely enthusiastic venue of Diss RFC.
Within minutes of the restart Smithdale scored a touchdown
try from an eight man shove on the Diss line, taking Broadland into an
eighteen point to twenty three lead at a critical point in the game. The
turning point for Tigers came when a tap penalty taken quickly by Diss
failed to materialise into a score. Although there was no reason offered,
the referee awarded a penalty try to the home side, converted to snatch
the lead back from somewhat perplexed Broadland.
Obviously, in a game as intense as this, tempers on both
sides became frayed, and frustration crept in. This resulted in Tigers
losing a player through dismissal. Diss capitalised on the 14-man opposition
to round off the afternoon with another unconverted try.
This was a tough, gritty, sporting game, and Broadland
may well feel hard done by as the result of debatable decisions occasionally
delivered by the referee.
Having already beaten Crusaders twice this season, Tigers
must have thought that the result was another foregone conclusion, and
that victory was in the bag before the first touch of the ball. Nothing,
however, could have been further from the truth with Broadland making
the trip back to Yarmouth with their tails between their legs, having
been defeated by a better side on the day.
Within five minutes of the off, a sleepy Broadland side
gifted Crusaders with a sloppy intercepted pass resulting in a converted
try. This encouraged some keen rugby from the Yarmouth outfit resulting
in Crusaders conceding a penalty punished by the Mickey Pywell
boot.
As in previous weeks, Tigers again
conceded a penalty which Crusaders gratefully
accepted, taking the score to 10-3. Near halftime Tigers conceded another
penalty again converted by a bubbling Crusaders. Continuous pressure from
Tigers just before the turnaround saw the award of a penalty try for the
Yarmouth side, which remained, unconverted. Leaving a halftime score of
13-8 and everything to play for.
The re-start saw a hungry Crusaders side score another
converted try taking their lead to 20-8. Five minutes after this shock,
Tigers' No. 8 Roger Smithdale picked up from the base of a scrum to score
a well worked try converted by full back Mickey Pywell taking the score
to 20 -15.
With five minutes of play left Broadland
were awarded a five-metre scrum and pushed Crusaders back with some authority.
However, another silly penalty by Tigers allowed the opposition to clear
their lines and the move came to nothing. Last word in this game belonged
to Crusaders who scored yet another intercepted converted try taking the
result to 27 -15. Broadland now know how far up they must pull their socks.
Broadland Tigers made the trip to Southwold hoping to
put recent out-of-form results behind them. And judging by the scoreline,
this they well and truly did.
Ten minutes into the game saw the first try from Tigers
arising from well-scrummaged ball moved through the backs to debut winger
Waymond Arundel who scored at his first touch. Mickey Pywell at full back
converted easily.
This galvanised the home side into a more positive approach
and Broadland had to sustain a prolonged period of pressure. During this
phase Tigers' scum-half Justin Miller intercepted a stray Southwold pass
to nick a neat unconverted try at pace. Southwold refused to hang their
heads, scoring a deserved converted try just on the half time whistle
to produce a 7-12 interval scoreline.
The restart saw a much more determined Tigers side than
in recent weeks produce some good passages of play, one of which resulted
in the ref awarding the Yarmouth outfit a five metre scrum with flanker
Phil Crane making the ball his own with a crash try converted again by
Mickey Pywell.
At 7-19 Tigers were in control and this was starkly evident
by the fired-up play of David Fowler rampant in the lineouts and in the
loose. No way were Tigers going to throw this game away. With twenty minutes
left, Tigers'captain Kevan Pywell led by example, putting in some crunching
tackles and preventing at least two Southwold tries which looked on.
The next try belonged to Broadland flyhalf Graham Clarke
who jinked his way through the Southwold defence for an impressive unconverted
touchdown.
The final try was easily the best of the afternoon, with
three phase play and a seven pass movement resulting in Arundel grabbing
his second try on debut which remained unconverted.
A final score of 7-29 said it all. A much improved, gritty
and determined performance from a side now showing clearly needed discipline,
and crashing in on the pace and handling skills, which have always been
present.
Man of the match award went to captain Kevan Pywell.
In a Norfolk League 3 fixture, sponsored
by Malcolm Wheadon of Express Removals, Tigers coasted to a good result
with just one league fixture remaining.
From the kick-off, however, it was Norwich Union who
looked the more determined to take the league points with a well worked
try after ten minutes from 2nd-phase ball which caught Broadland napping.
This effort remained unconverted.
This shocked Tigers into a quick re-post, and from some
good handling by the forwards and backs the ball was slipped out to prop
Khan Billiard on the wing who romped over the opposition line to score
a fine try in the corner. This was converted by hooker Gary Skinner to
make this a real front row effort.
On the stroke of half-time Broadland infringed in a kickable
position, and were punished by a good conversion taking Norwich Union
into a 7 - 8 interval lead. The 2nd half started at a ferocious pace with
crunching tackles from both teams.
After putting Norwich Union under the cosh for a good
fifteen minutes Broadland were rewarded with a penalty slotted neatly
by full-back Mickey Pywell, regaining the lead for Tigers at 10 - 8. The
game now flowed from end to end in this eagerly contested game, neither
side being prepared to give an inch.
With ten minutes remaining, Tigers skipper Kevan Pywell
was forced to retire with a shoulder injury. Roger Smithdale came on as
replacement, and his first touch of the ball resulted in a try picked
up from the base of the scrum on the halfway line, and this sprinting
No. 8 (who? Roger? - nahhhhh!!) saw off four tackles to make it five points
under the posts, converted by Mickey Pywell and taking Broadland into
a definitive 17 - 8 victory.
This was a good well-hard game of rugby keeping the local
outfit on a roll of winning ways.
Lakenham Hewett 2nd XV v Tigers - Saturday 13th March
1999
But for some sound defence when it mattered most, Tigers
could easily have lost this game with probably their worst performance
of the season.
The first half was an end to end affair peppered with
tactical and handling errors by both teams. Tigers had the edge in the
scrums with hooker Kevin Collins taking at least half a dozen against
the head.
Possession, however, failed to produce points until a
minute before the halftime whistle when Broadland were awarded a penalty.
A quick tap from prop Peter Dix saw him crash over the Lakenham line for
a sound forward try. This remained unconverted.
The second-half started in much the
same way as the first, with handling errors in abundance. Ten minutes
of pressure and a driving maul from the forwards resulted in an unconverted
try from the home side prop to level the score.
Tigers remained camped in their own half virtually for
the remainder of the game, and it is to their credit that they were able
to absorb the Lakenham pressure without conceding a score.
At any moment it looked like Lakenham might steal the
result, but an inspirational Graham Clarke at fly-half had other ideas.
From clean lineout ball Broadland scrum half Gary Skinner fed Clarke the
crucial pass which saw the fly-half carve his way through the Lakenham
defence, skipping past three attempts to score gloriously under the post.
This was converted by full-back Mickey Pywell to produce the final 5 -
12 scoreline.
Clearly Broadland's self-belief carried them through
in a game which they were fortunate to edge with a spot of luck at the
right time.
Early on in this keenly contested fixture Broadland
went ahead by 3pts from a penalty slotted over by Mickey Pywell. The Watton
repost was a neatly converted try taking the home side into a 7pts to
3pts lead.
Five minutes later Watton did it again taking them into a 14pts to 3pts
lead. Realising that the game was drifting away, the Yarmouth outfit took
play by the scruff of the neck, and a quick break by scrum half Justin
Miller saw hooker Gary Skinner finish clinically with an unconverted try
to bring Watton back into reach.
This state of affairs, however, did not last long and a converted try
by Watton saw them pull ahead into a 21pts to 8pts lead. Broadland knew
a result here was all about character and the Yarmouth outfit dug deep.
From a tap penalty, flanker Kevan Pyewell scored and converted his own
try taking the score to 21pts to 15pts.
Good lineout ball from second row Dave Fowler fed scrum half Miller who
made a decisive break finally passing to Pug who scored his second try
which again he converted himself taking Broadland into a 21pts to 22pts
half time lead.
Ten minutes into the second half saw Pug convert a penalty into a further
three points increasing the Broadland lead 21pts to 25pts. Minutes after
this fine kick an intercepted pass by Gary Skinner, supported by "Pug",
saw the lively 2nd row Dave Fowler finish the movement with a converted
try, increasing the lead to 21pts to 32pts.
Watton were having none of this and immediately replied with a converted
full back try to bring the scoreline back to an attainable 28pts to 32pts.
With Fowler rampant in the lineout a good ball along the line to flanker
Phil Crane saw this player add another unconverted try, taking the score
to 28pts to 37pts.
Next, good lineout ball from Pug saw excellent service to scrum half Miller
who crashed over the Watton line for an unconverted try edging the scoreline
further away at 28pts to 42pts. Good midfield spoiling by the Yarmouth
outfit saw a multi-pass movement end in a try for Paul Abel who broke
through two tackles, with his effort converted by Mickey Pywell bringing
the final whistle score in Broadland's favour 28pts to 49pts.
This entertaining game saw the Tigers end their season on a high note,
and this was typical of the way the 2nd XV have played their rugby all
season. And in this game all fifteen players were "Men of the Match".
