Chiswick Mauled At Welwyn

Rugby result: Welwyn 15 Chiswick 9

It was a day when Chiswick never really got going. With a number of forced changes, early mistakes could be expected. The start, however, was reasonably comfortable for the visitors, partly because their pack proved equal to the home eight in the scrums and lineouts, and partly because of a slight lack of confidence in the home team.

A lot of fairly aimless kicking by both sides was followed by a sliced penalty kick attempt for the home team, which Chiswick attempted to run out. When things went wrong, new Chiswick lock John Joyce took charge and found a good touch. The first good move of the game was a tackle-breaking surge by the Welwyn centre, spoilt by a pass out behind the winger. Joyce then produced a saving cover tackle on the home winger.

Hooker Glen Tucker started the first concerted Chiswick move with a midfield break ending when Tom Duffy was tackled in the home 22. Tucker at this stage was having a problem with his lineout throws, however, and Chiswick were not getting as good possession as their jumpers deserved.

A slippery ball was an excuse for a number of Chiswick knock-ons, but Welwyn were coping better. A home mistake allowed Chiswick a quick counter-attack, but Ben Cattliff was just caught by the home winger after good work by Marc Jones and Duffy.

Prop Steffan Davies was suddenly prominent with a burst in midfield after Jones had come back to the forwards on an inside line, but the eager supporting players were all in front of him when he looked to pass the ball. A good move involving Matt Cooper and Chris Morris broke down when wing Pete Townsend knocked on a lowish pass. Chiswick took the lead when Duffy slotted a penalty from well out on the left. Stuart Parmeter was almost over the home line after a deft inside pass, and then Chiswick wheeled a home scrum, in the home 22, and some shenanigans left Duffy with a fairly simple kick for 6-0 at half time.

After some good early pressure by Chiswick, thwarted by hard tackling by Welwyn, an aerial battle commenced, ending with a knock-on by a Chiswick player, and then a Welwyn move which exposed the Chiswick defence with a neat short kick. The resultant five metre home scrum looked threatening, but the referee deemed the home team to be holding on in an ensuing ruck, and Chiswick survived. Gibson nearly got over following a break by Jones, carried on by Gill, and then Duffy slotted another penalty. Welwyn were down to fourteen following a yellow card, but just as things were looking rosy for the visitors a Chiswick player was also booked, and Welwyn picked up their first three points.

In the final quarter of the match, Welwyn began to exploit their mauling superiority, and after putting a penalty kick right into the corner, they mauled over the line from the lineout. The kick, teeless and from two metres in from the right touch, was a beauty, to put Welwyn ahead.

They then had a try disallowed for a forward pass, but a scintillating break by their centre was carried on by their left wing before the ball was switched infield for a supporting player to score. Although the kick was missed, and Chiswick had a couple of chances to run, the home team had no real scares as the clock ran down.

Chiswick team :- Davies ( Donaldson ), Tucker, Parmeter, Hood, Joyce, Adams ( Kelly ), Morris, Cooper, Gill, Luckman, Townsend ( Lowe ), Gibson, Jones, Cattliff, Duffy

October 11, 2010