Sat 20 Oct: Chichester 27 - Sidcup 7

With a dozen or so first team registered players unavailable and a further 5 or 6 on the injury list, the team that set off for the game at league leaders Chichester, had a very unfamiliar look to it. Inexperienced players in key positions, no forwards on the replacements bench and plenty of empty spaces on the coach as some players had to work in the morning and one even cut short his holiday and had to be collected from City Airport and whisked down to Chichester.

When at last everybody had arrived with just an hour to go before kickoff, introductions were made, calls were explained and key moves were rehearsed. However, although the team may have been cobbled together, the one thing team did have in buckets loads was commitment and that was evident throughout the whole game.

The game itself started with Chichester moving the ball wide from the Sidcup kickoff and getting close to the Sidcup line. Chichester's pace and penetration looked ominous but the Sidcup defence was resolute. However just a few minutes into the game, the task became even more difficult for Sidcup when scrum half and captain Richard Clarke had to be helped from the pitch after a heavy knock to the head left him unable to continue. Tobi Ojo entered the fray and more rearrangements were made in the Sidcup back line; 'Busy' Cutler put on the captains amrband.

In the opinion of this very unqualified correspondent, Chichester looked most effective when they span the ball wide but on many occasions they decided to keep it tight and played in to Sidcup's hands in doing so. On those occasions when Chichester did spin the ball, the Sidcup defence stood firm with crushing tackles going in from, well everybody. Forward drive after drive was repelled but eventually the line was breached and Chichester led 7 - 0 at half time.

The second half would bring even more challenges for the visitors; two overlapping yellow cards. Tom England was sin binned after one too many infringements at the breakdown and 5 minutes later, Nick Gilbert joined him after the referee spotted an infringement the likes of which he had failed to spot earlier in the game. Steve Evans joined Clarkey on the injured list so Ojo moved in to the powerhouse and Tom McNally took his place in the centre.

Chichester managed two more tries during the second half, one by moving the ball wide and another from an interception. Sidcup applied pressure at every opportunity and at 22 - 0 down Sidcup were eventually rewarded as a driving maul led to a try for Gilbert, converted from way out by Matt Ody.

The floodgates never opened for Chichester today and that is a huge credit to the Sidcup team who gave everything in defence. With the last play of the game, after repeated attacks, Chichester did eventually score the fourth try they needed for the bonus point.

After the game, the Chichester coaches were very complimentary about the Sidcup performance. However, they also thought that Sidcup got the better of the referee whereas Sidcup were determined the truth was the other way round. Funny how one man's performance can be seen so differently by two groups of people with opposing perspectives.

On a personal note, my proudest moment in recent years as a member of Sidcup came in April last year when the team came close to winning promotion at London Irish; today will rank a very close second.

It seems a bit unfair that I’ve not managed to mention every brave soldier in this report. But that unfairness was rectified in advance when coaches Jim Roques and Martin Leamon announced their decision for Man of the Match – to be shared equally between McLean, England, Carmen, Cooper, Evans S, Horton, Brunt J, Gilbert, Clarke, Ody, Harris, Thomson, Cutler, Woollard, Evans D, Vincent, Ojo, McNally T.

Many thanks to the band of supporters that made the trip; Charles Prewer and Allan Jones, Smudge, Pete Grayson, Alex Isaacs, Dave & Sheena, Laura & Phil, Neil, Vicky (not Neil & Vicky), Gary, Mark, Bill, Billy and Arthur, Vinny and Sara. Paul the Phys, who could have travelled direct to Chichester but instead drove from Eastbourne to Sidcup, travelled on the coach with the players so that he could tape them on the journey and they'd arrive ready to take the field allowing them more time in the warm up and to HBW who journied by train and cycle and made it in time for kickoff, just.

And gentlemen of Sidcup who went elsewhere
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap while any speaks
That fought with us at Oaklands Park.

IA - 20 Oct 12