Chiswick chastened by local rivals

Rugby Result :- Old Actonians 33 Chiswick 7

A disastrous start for Chiswick was heralded by some sloppy tackling, which allowed the home side’s first attack to lead to a try.

Chiswick talisman Nick Pritchard was injured in the build-up to this score, and took no further part in the game. It looked to be a mismatch as Old Actonians went further ahead through their fly half, who caught his own neat chip ahead to cross the line unopposed. Both these tries were converted, and there was little sign that Chiswick were in the game. Slowly, however, they clawed their way back, with the Pickering brothers and replacement Graham Robbings in particular showing great determination.

For the middle section of the game, Chiswick were at least as good as the home side, and despite having an over-enthusiastic forward sin-binned, they scored an excellent try.

One of very few clean lineout takes by the visitors was made by the recalled Matt Vinden, and from the subsequent maul a superb miss pass by centre Sam Brown gave full back Simon Slattery, coming into the line, room to run at the opposition, and through them, to score under the posts. Keith Luckman converted.

As the second half wore on, it appeared that Chiswick had every chance of getting on terms, although Actonians were always dangerous with quick counter-attacking involving forwards and threes equally. The rugby was exciting, end-to-end stuff, but Chiswick were having to put in more tackles than the home team, and finally it began to tell. With veteran prop Kelvin Campbell, who had been playing like an eighteen year old, succumbing to a damaged neck, Slattery suffering from a painful elbow, and the excellent Brown from exhaustion, having tackled himself to a standstill, the final minutes were bitter for Chiswick.

After taking a great catch from an Actonians kick, Brown somehow lost the ball, and the home No.8, who had caught the eye throughout the match with his athleticism, streaked down the touchline to score in the corner. Although unconverted, this try knocked the stuffing out of the visitors, and they conceded two more tries, both converted, in the remaining few minutes.

Chiswick team :-   Donaldson, Pickering E, Campbell ( Betts ), Sampson, Chraplewczyk, Vinden, Pickering A, Pritchard ( Robbings ), Walker, Luckman, Miller, Brown, Gibson, Vere, Slattery

November 13, 2006