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Firsts Start New Year with a Good Win on the Road | Sun 08th Jan 2006 | | The first 15 overcame a spirited Belfast YM side 17-0 with what sidelined coach Mr Mowbray described “as some of the best rugby played this season”. Interesting that considering this is the first match that he has not played in!
A slow start by the travelling side ensured that Ym had the initial lions share of possession but this only served to display the excellent defensive capabilities of this Strabane side with big hit after big hit being made by both forwards and backs. The only area of concern was the penalty counts particularly around the ruck situation were the referee was particularly sore on the very anxious Maxie.
The early possession domination drew no reward for YM on the score board and Strabane showed them how to make the most of possession with our first venture into enemy ground.
The skipper quickly and decisively changed early lineout problems and this proved astute as a planned move from a lineout resulted in the first score.
Excellent lineout work won by Gordie and one phase (take note forwards, that was one phase…not 15) resulted in fast ball for Maxie which was quickly despatched to the outhalf. With Bap providing the decoy Brian Allen took a flat pass into the gap from Paul, put on the after burners and was gone. One side step on the full back later and Housty was adding the easy 2 points.
Probably the best team score that we have scored in a considerable while with practically every man involved in some capacity and brilliantly finished by Brian who still had plenty to do and really showed everyone that he has some serious gas.
The 2nd score came shortly after and was one for the front row union. A Ym scrum inside there 22 was turned over (Davy I think was the main man here but know knows what happens in there) and Mitchie broke left. With Maxie and Paul in support Mitchie passed (yes I too was shocked but then I realised how knackered he was) to Maxie who was going to run it in but the 15mtrs looked very daunting to him so he passed to Paul. At the stage it was 2 v 1 with myself and McKnight and despite all the stick he gave me over Boxing day I put the wee flyer away and he finished in style dancing down the touchline for a half time lead of 12-0.
The half ended in suitable style, as with an overlap their big centre took Bap on heads up one on one and realised to his pain that the big boy isn’t just in the side to look pretty. Johnny picked him up and took him for a wee walk before letting him eat some grass. This gave the side a real boost going to the ½ time oranges which Mowbs had forgotten although his team talk was typically bitter enough.
The Finlay’s have now decided to add to, what for me is the worst ½ time team talks in rugby anywhere with what can only be described as soft porn, with Davy doing the actions and Mal providing the noises. No wonder Ym started better than us in the 2nd half!
Needless penalties, with ROB to the fore continued to undo really good work and prevented us extending our lead, although the defensive work and general work rate of everyone was to be praised. (except by Mal who gives out bollockings for both good work and bad work…very hard to please our skipper)
The final score was another for the front row with an excellent push over try. Maxie almost broke Mitchie’s legs and drove Eddie into the front row diving on the ball for a good and very well controlled score.
Was going to have a whinge that the scrum came for me again scoring and the ref again being in the wrong place but I am fed up listening to Bap laughing about it so yes that’s right I still have not scored this season.
One final highlight was another Mitchie break straight down the middle of the pitch committing several tacklers. A good off load put Paul away who drew the last man and passed inside to the well supporting openside forward Mr C Hamilton who incidentally had an excellent match. Unfortunately however eye witness accounts ( I was flattened and could not see) claim Chris in his excitement of seeing the posts tried to catch the ball with the eye and the chance was lost. Probably if any of our players who are taller than 5ft had been in support they would have scored.
We finished as we had started by stopping them on the gain line.
POI
- Backs looked sharp for first time in a while.
- Mitchie’s work distributing their ball
- Gordie’s lineout jumping when he got going.
- Paul stealing more ball than Chris Hamilton
- Front row performance
- Tackling.
- Bert taking Bap and co. to gay bar at 3.30pm and Bap being touched up in a queue for battered sausages.
- Bap’s breakfast juice…4 x brandies and 4 x baileys…the man has class.
- Brian spending 2 hours tackling a yoke and then chasing her.
Star Man.
Eddie giving up on a prize farm of land and herd of suck cows in Galway to happy slap and arm wrestle with Bob Dillon….and she was even good looking too!
Sorry Eddie but that’s why you play in the forwards.
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