Cinque Ports Maintain Winning Start!

Cinque Ports Rugby 39 Uckfield III 17 (HT 15-17)
After last week's great start to the league campaign, Cinque Ports knew from last season that Uckfield would be tough opposition. This proved to be the case as by half time Uckfield were just ahead. But the confidence gained from last week's victory and all the hard work put in on the training field meant that CPR would fight to the very end of the game as they generally did last season. The second half proved to be a confident performance which did not allow Uckfield to score further.

The first home game at the Grove School started well with Cinque Ports rumbling upfield winning the ball quickly and an unfortunate fumble led to a knock on which prevented a score within a minute. Then from the scrum a powerful Cinque Ports pack anchored by Tony Lawlor drove Uckfield off their own ball, and Craig Barningham picked from the base of the scrum and drove over. Two minutes in and the CPR were 5-0 up, after captain Paul Smart missed the conversion. Uckfield appeared rocked and they wisely kept the ball away from the forwards, relying on a kicking game.

Full Back Carl Malthouse was a very good match for this sort of game. He handled the high ball well. This ensured a game of aerial ping pong ensued unleashing with Carl Malthouse's own kicking game. Cinque Ports seemed most likely to score with Tony Lawlor charging through a panic stricken defence and the in form centre Christiaan Brandt finding gaps, but it was Uckfield who scored next a drop goal bringing them within 2 points.

Cinque Ports discipline seemed to buckle, and Uckfield had a penalty to take the lead but pushed it wide of the post. With Uckfield pressing a Paul Smart clearance led to a line out which Cinque Ports won on Uckfield's throw. The ball was passed out quickly to find it's way to the mercurial Christiaan Brandt who ran a clever angle and ran in the score from 55 metres. Paul Smart converted. Again Uckfield upped the game, a break from a sloppy kick saw Uckfield within the 22 metre line before a try saving tackle from Gary Surridge. Uckfield were not to be denied though and mishandling of a kick and chaotic defence saw Uckfield drive over and convert. Paul Smart stretched the lead when he kicked a penalty. Paul Smart almost gave that lead away instantly when a flat pass was intercepted, but fortunately an Uckfield knock on gave Cinque Ports the reprieve. Uckfield did take the lead on the stroke of half time with another converted try. Whilst this might have seen Uckfield run away in the second half as they looked confident.

Cinque Ports revealed a new steely determination which was evident at the beginning of the second half a commanding performance from Man of the Match Chris Eastwood at scrum half saw him lead the pack to complete dominance. Each and every ruck, scrum and line out seemed to fall to Cinque Ports, strangling any possession away from Uckfield. A penalty was awarded to Uckfield five minutes into the half, that was missed and that was Uckfield's last real opportunity to keep in the march.
 
A 25 metre rolling maul seemed to shatter their confidence, and good work from winger Rob Fink and Dale Whittington saw CPR inches from the line before a barnstorming tackle by Tim Gough saw Uckfield drop the ball over the line and Steve Crump touched down. Uckfield's kick off saw Rob Fink and Craig Barningham make 30 metres before Lloyd Barthropp came on a sharp angle stopped only yards from the line. Lloyd Barthropp showed good composure to stay on his feet and offload to Dale Whittington who scored the fourth CPR try. Paul Smart converted to make it 27-17.

Another destructive effort at the scrum saw all the backs running into acres of space- Paul Smart jinking delicately away from tackles before setting up an easy try for Dale Whittington to claim his second score. Another Paul Smart converted the try to make the CPR score 34- 17.

Substitute Luke Price made a big impact with 20 metre break before offloading to Steve Crump the dynamic forward looked certain to make it two tries before a despairing tackle held him up, but Steve Crump cleverly offloaded to Carl Malthouse who slid over in the corner to score his first try for the club. Paul Smart missed the conversion on the stroke of full time.

Manager Gavin Thomas recognised where the victory was won "Our dominance of the set piece and new steely will to win meant that even when we were losing at half time the game was always in our grasp"

Head Coach Bill Langley said "Whilst we do not wish to become complacent, it does mean that CPR has scored 15 tries in the first two Bishop Finger's league games. It is a long season, but I feel everything is going to plan. We travel to East Grinstead III next Saturday (26th). They were a side we had mixed results last season. This will be another good test for the team."

Team: Lawlor, Donald (Gough), Wright, Perry (Price), Parker, Dedman, Whittington, Bamingham, Eastwood,
Smart, Weale (Fink), Brandt (Crump), Barthropp, Malthouse Unused Replacements- Giles, Thomas