Bromley Blitzed

Sidcup 3’s ventured to Barnet Wood road buoyed by recent victories and the return from injury of such eminent gentlemen as Mr David Jones, Mr Dan Evans, Mr Joseph Custy and the right honourable Burt McDonald. Pre-match preparation was slightly off kilter as Messrs Custy and Jones were delayed with work matters and as the two sides practised their lineouts, the Sidcup pack seemed some kg’s lighter than the opposition. Fortunately, with the arrival of the aforementioned chaps that imbalance was rectified.

Sidcup start the game playing up the considerable slope and after 4 minutes, solid work at lineout Burt McDonald breaks clear and heads up the slope art a reasonable pace for a man in his state of health. After some one-hundred-and-forty yards uphill (apparently) he feeds the ball on and after some swift hands flanker Watson has sprinted clear and score under the posts. Returning superstar D Evans misses the sitter and the tone is set for an afternoon of banter and badinage.

Sidcup gained control from the kick off and work their way up the pitch with some good handling and support play sees winger Charlie May speed through to score under the posts. Evans, cool as a cucumber and with inferior eye sight, skews the ball wide. The hide working pack and his fellow backs commiserate with Dan in a supportive manner. 7 minutes gone…

Again the restart is gathered manfully, which is probably the first time I have written that this year and Sidcup set off up the hill from deep in their own half. Initial good work from the pack sets up Evans who breaks and feeds the irrepressible McDonald who charges up field to the right hand side of the 22’. The ensuing rucks sees quick recycled ball speedily spun left to winger Chris Neal who estimating that Evans doesn’t like conversions in front of the posts, crashes over to score in the left hand corner. Evans, relieved that the pressure is off him as he is no longer under the posts, no misses from the left hand side. 13 minutes gone and Sidcup are 15 – 0 nil to the good.

Bromley begin a short period of pressure but the Sidcup defence is solid and able for the task. The pack try a few pick and drives and excellent support play again brings the away side up to the opposition ten metre. Enthusiasm begins to triumph over technique and the ball is spilled forward as the pace of the attack is sometimes faster than the speed of mind. Bromley try to stem the flow but are under continual pressure on or near their line and when in possession have the unfortunate task of being flattened by Tom Crisp; after one such tackle the Bromley right wing resembles a cardboard cut out.

Eventually, Sidcup break through and once again Watson is on hand to break through the final tackles and drive over to score. Evans, with his eyes closed and fingers crossed, slots the conversion to cheers of” Ole” from his team mates. 24 minutes gone, the score stands at Sidcup 22 – Bromley 0. With 15 minutes of the half remaining, the slight heat and notable incline begin to take effect and Sidcup make no further inroads to the scoreboard.

The half time speech by team manager is once again both inspirational and awe-inspiring, with the key terms, “stop being so flash” and “could the front five join in the rucks and mauls instead of standing in the backs and giving it a Muttey-like “gimme, gimme, gimme”. K Pooley, having put in at towering performance is subbed, with Tom Dunster moving to blind side and Tom Crisp moving to the second row.

With Sidcup playing downhill in the second half things look ominous for the home side. Evans restarts the game with a precise kick off and number 8 Hancox wins the ball and charges downfield and41 minutes: From kick off Hanky chases, wins ball, feeds Frondigoun who scores in corner. Evans, wide out on the left, misses conversion. 41 minutes gone… 27 – 0.
Bromley restart and rather than catch and secure the ball, Sidcup charge forward and move the ball from one side of the pitch to the other. Excellent support and running from prop Jones, second row Custy and the effervescent Frondigoun sees Sidcup back up in the red zone and once again Watson is on hand to provide the final touch and scores his hatrick with but 48 minute. Evans, now certain the kicking tee is either possessed or of flawed design misses conversion. 32 points to the ‘Cup.

A surprisingly non-moanie Hancox is withdrawn from the fray and Watson is asked to move to “8”, something which initially causes him some consternation but when advised “if Hanky can play there, anyone can” he accepts stoically. Matt Brunt, the handsomer of the Brunt brothers so he tells me, moves to the openside. From the restart, the Bromley flyhalf seems to pick out Brunt, possibly in the hope that he is fresh to the game and not yet mentally attuned; Brunt promptly catches the ball on the Sidcup 22’, jinks past the first-up chasers, hands of the number 8 and charges 30 metres up field before off-loading to Frondigoun before the move breaks down in the Bromley 22’.

Bromley manage to force Sidcup back to the half way line but another good break sees Sidcup attacking the right hand flank. From the side line, Tom’s father Gary Crisp politely informs he son to get a move on and that he is standing in the wrong possession in relation to the ruck. Tom, unable to hear his father, promptly gathers the loose ball and scores. Kids, eh? Evans, slightly to the right of the posts, causes confusion to all but slotting the conversion. 39 points to the ‘Cup.

Bromley score at some stage, possibly even twice... It was a long time ago so I can’t remember.

At 56 minutes it is decided that Charlie May looks bored and Jon Crook comes onto the wing. The ball rarely travels out to wing in the 3’s so neither of them has much to do anyway. Bromley again exert a brief period of pressure; Sidcup clear their lines and winger Crook seems to be held up whilst attempting to field the kick, despite the ball being some way off in the distance. This allows the Bromley winger to collect the ball and run through unopposed to score. Eyebrows are raised by both the Sidcup players and entourage but the try is allowed to stand.

Sidcup restart and again the pack are ferocious in their pursuit of the ball, probably aggrieved by the injustice of the previous score and Bromley are soon sent rumbling backwards towards their own line. Loose hands allow Bromley to clear their lines up to the half way but again Sidcup regain the ball and soon great interplay between backs and forwards sees McDonald spot a half gap, ignore and charge over three would be tacklers to score. Captain Stephens decides to give fly half Evans a break and successfully drop goals the conversion. 46 – 17 (how did they get 17) to the ‘Cup.

From the restart, prop Camble appears to clap his hands before attempting to catch the ball and promptly drops the ball. At no stage will Dave ever be reminded of that moment. Anyhow, Sidcup win the resulting scrum and the back row move the ball right, scrum half Matteo feeds a short pass to D Jones who takes the ball at a canter and splinters the close up defence. Again the ball is moved away swiftly from the point of contact and having stretched the defence, the ball is passed to Joe Custy who charges over the line from some 40 metres out. Evans, following Captain Stephens lead, drop goals the conversion. 66 minutes gone and the score is 53 – 17 to the visitors.

Two minutes after the restart and the McDonald sprints clear from the Bromley 10 metre line to round off an impressive with a try. His impressive display withered slightly as he lay on the floor suffering from cramp and begging for his leg to be amputated. Evans may have converted and the score was something in the region of 60 – 17 to the visitors

May returned to the fray and merrily gadded about in the centre alongside the ever-youthful backrow, second row and general man for all positions that is the legendary Steve Burke. From the restart, Bromley kick long to the touchline, only for Frondigoun to gather the ball, wrong foot the ensuing kick-chasers and charge to the line to score in the corner. The conversion was never in doubt form that wide out and was duly missed. 65 – 17 to Sidcup. The final 5 minutes of the game saw Sidcup maintain their intensity and finally rewarded when skipper Stephens ran an excellent line to charge over close to the posts to score. Final score 72 – 17… Not the 57 the league has stated.

It is hard to pick out a man of the match in such a resounding victory, but it was great to see Messrs McDonald, Evans, Custy and Jones return from injury and come through the game unscathed. Alex Watson was his usual self, everywhere in the loose, cleaning up second phase and deserved rewarded with a hatrick of tries. Frondigoun continues to impress with his pace, both around the pitch and with ball in hand. Scrum half Stamato again marshalled his forwards with aplomb and provided excellent ball for his team to use. But probably the greatest revelation of the game was a player who is still relatively new to rugby and has had his pitch-time limited this season. Thus, for making his first full start at loose head and proving a rock in the scrum, the MOTM goes to Dave Camble