19th September 2009
Anchorians II 27 Vigo II 21
Anchorians 2nd
team were back on winning form this week with a hard fought game over at Vigo. Unlike last week
Anchorians started the game well and put Vigo
under early pressure. The two sides seemed evenly matched and this was always
going to be a close game.
It was about ten minutes in
and Anchs were putting the pressure on, a well controlled rolling maul was
draining the Vigo defence and just as the maul got within 15 metres of the line
‘Irish Mick’ broke down the blindside and was about to score when a good tackle
forced an inside pass to support runner Jack Gonsalves who scored Anchs 1st
try. Shortly after this Anchorians seemed to go to sleep and there game started
to fall apart a little, Vigo
added there own scores during this period. Anchs got themselves together and
team talk suggested that all that was needed was to slow the game down and work
the basics well. This obviously had the desired effect and after winning a
lineout the Anchs pack drove another maul up to and over the Vigo line for John Henderson to get his
annual try. Just before half time a quick ball slipped out of a ruck and quick
hands from the Anchs back line gave winger Keith White all the space he needed
which in this instance was very little. Speedy Keith seemed to stay very close
to the line as he shrugged off three tackles and sprint half of the pitch to
touch down in the corner. Vigo
got good possession and were attacking the Anchs line when the Anchs Captain
went to clear a ruck with a kick which should have gone safely into touch but
instead managed to land perfectly in to the hands of Vigos winger who ran
unopposed over the line to score.
The second half was hard work
for both teams and Vigo started off well and it was only a spilled ball by
there backs which allowed Dishman to get a boot to it, Tim Banner-Martin followed
it up and as he was chased the length of the pitch he was able to control the
ball with his foot until he reached the try line where he threw himself onto
the ball to score what was the days best try. This seemed to spur Anchs on and
from that point their game seemed to step up a gear. While attacking the Vigo
line the Anchs pack put enough pressure on Vigo to give Anchorians backs good
quality ball, the ball went down through the hands and Keith White went over in
the corner for his second try of the day. Mark Pike stepped up and after the
practice he had been getting during the game slotted the conversion perfectly.
In the last few minutes of the game Vigo
had a 22 drop out and kicked it half way up the park for their winger to chase,
Anchs defence were taken by surprise and the winger got a well deserved try. It
wasn’t enough though and Anchorians came away with their first league victory
of the season,
Keith White was Anchorians man of the match and surely will be
pushing for a 1st team position soon.
Anchorians are next week away
to Sevenoaks and look forward to continuing their early win.