Back
Sat 25 Mar 2017 ·  London 1 South
1st XVChiswick
31
12
Wind affected win, but five points in the bag
Mike CUBITT25 Mar 2017 - 19:18
Share via
With internationals and rest days over the last few weeks, interfering with the league programme, it was good to see rugby back on the park.
Having been missing through a shoulder injury and operation since mid January, it is good to be able to put a report up with Gss taking the winning score-line 31-12.
Chiswick who are desperate for points as they sit in the bottom three came to Gravesend fresh from a victory over second place Havant, while Gss had lost four out the last five, but their last appearance was a 15 - 69 win away to Dover, so this promised to be an exciting game.
The strong wind coming up from the river was to have a major influence on the game as both XVs struggled to get control and when it looked like the wrong option to kick had been taken, a rectifying charge down by Brad Smith, saw the young scrum half gather the ball and cross to touch down the first score.
The wind looked to have taken Dave Dorton's kick away wide, only for a change of direction, twice, saw the ball go between the posts to put Gss on the board at 7-0.
At the other end a brave penalty attempt was taken wide to deny the visitors the points.
Playing against the "breeze", Gss were looking to run the ball at every opportunity and three minutes later, with play on the edge of the twenty-two, some slick ball to hand passing led to Chris Brady finish off a scoring move.
This time the wind held the ball out as it headed for the conversion, score now 12-0.
Before the first quarter had passed, it was a great individual display from the visitors right wing who collected a ball from near the half way line, before out stepping Gss defence to score wide out. The luckless fly half again saw his kick taken by the wind, but the gap closed to 12-5.
Gss were dominating the set pieces, but Chiswick were competing for every loose ball, and strong tackles were keeping the game close to the centre of the park.
It was yet again an outside three-quarter that crossed the whitewash when the hard running and elusive Temi Okenla worked his way through to touch midway to the uprights.
Again the wind played its part as the conversion was taken wide, score was 17-5.
A period of pressure with Gss pack working through the phases as they camped close to the opposition line, at lst the pressure told as a strong drive behind Charlie Cutting saw the player touch down a forwards try. With the scored being close to the posts, Dorton added the conversion to lift the lead to 24-5.
Thirty-one minutes o the clock and the visitors lost a lock to the sin bin to sit out the remainder of the half.
The fourteen players remaining seemed to up their game to compensate for the loss, and against the run of play, managed to catch Gss all up in attack which allowed their speedy wing to run in for their second score, this time the conversion was good and the half time score stood at 24-12.
With the bonus point try on the board before the break, Gss were looking to build on their score, and by three minutes of the third quarter had added another success for lively Brad Smith as he crossed for his second of the afternoon followed by Dorton slotting over his third kick for 31-12.
Thirty-six minutes of hard struggles for both XVs, with both coming close to securing more points, but nothing came of these efforts, and despite some close calls, both lines were kept in tack until the final whistle that saw the many frozen spectators retire to the clubhouse for some warming sustenance.
Chiswick who are desperate for points as they sit in the bottom three came to Gravesend fresh from a victory over second place Havant, while Gss had lost four out the last five, but their last appearance was a 15 - 69 win away to Dover, so this promised to be an exciting game.
The strong wind coming up from the river was to have a major influence on the game as both XVs struggled to get control and when it looked like the wrong option to kick had been taken, a rectifying charge down by Brad Smith, saw the young scrum half gather the ball and cross to touch down the first score.
The wind looked to have taken Dave Dorton's kick away wide, only for a change of direction, twice, saw the ball go between the posts to put Gss on the board at 7-0.
At the other end a brave penalty attempt was taken wide to deny the visitors the points.
Playing against the "breeze", Gss were looking to run the ball at every opportunity and three minutes later, with play on the edge of the twenty-two, some slick ball to hand passing led to Chris Brady finish off a scoring move.
This time the wind held the ball out as it headed for the conversion, score now 12-0.
Before the first quarter had passed, it was a great individual display from the visitors right wing who collected a ball from near the half way line, before out stepping Gss defence to score wide out. The luckless fly half again saw his kick taken by the wind, but the gap closed to 12-5.
Gss were dominating the set pieces, but Chiswick were competing for every loose ball, and strong tackles were keeping the game close to the centre of the park.
It was yet again an outside three-quarter that crossed the whitewash when the hard running and elusive Temi Okenla worked his way through to touch midway to the uprights.
Again the wind played its part as the conversion was taken wide, score was 17-5.
A period of pressure with Gss pack working through the phases as they camped close to the opposition line, at lst the pressure told as a strong drive behind Charlie Cutting saw the player touch down a forwards try. With the scored being close to the posts, Dorton added the conversion to lift the lead to 24-5.
Thirty-one minutes o the clock and the visitors lost a lock to the sin bin to sit out the remainder of the half.
The fourteen players remaining seemed to up their game to compensate for the loss, and against the run of play, managed to catch Gss all up in attack which allowed their speedy wing to run in for their second score, this time the conversion was good and the half time score stood at 24-12.
With the bonus point try on the board before the break, Gss were looking to build on their score, and by three minutes of the third quarter had added another success for lively Brad Smith as he crossed for his second of the afternoon followed by Dorton slotting over his third kick for 31-12.
Thirty-six minutes of hard struggles for both XVs, with both coming close to securing more points, but nothing came of these efforts, and despite some close calls, both lines were kept in tack until the final whistle that saw the many frozen spectators retire to the clubhouse for some warming sustenance.
Further reading
Team Sponsors
