Lloyd Barthropp v Rye II

Rye II 15               Cinque Ports Rugby 20 (HT 10-12)

Cinque Ports New Year starts with tough victory

After nearly a month of fixtures lost to wintry weather and lack of opposition Cinque Ports Rugby made the short journey to New Road, Rye to face the self styled “Rye Goons” in a postponed Sussex Three East league game. A strong CPR team of 22 made the journey to face Rye II who had never lost to Cinque Ports. New Year hangovers seemed to be evident as Rye kicked off and the ball went dead, the resulting scrum saw Cinque Ports demonstrate dominance and shove Rye backwards. This seemed to set the scene for the rest of the game with CPR dominating the scrum and winning ball on both teams’ scrums, the front row of Tony Lawlor, Mark Wright and Rob Tritton providing the technique and power to drive forwards. The 9,10,12 combination of Paul Smart, Dave Milham and Ben Hanny also set the scene by setting up crash ball at almost every opportunity, the barnstorming Ben Hanny smashing into the defence.  Rye still showed willingness to run the ball and always looked to put the ball wide, a winger was in open space before being bundled into touch by Luke Price. This width would cause danger for CPR throughout the team.  A Rye line out saw CPR win the ball, Dale Whittington emerged from the ruck on the half way line to burst into space, Whittington was caught  and as he was being tackled passed the ball to Dave  Milham, who was in close support. Dave Milham side stepped the closing Rye defenders to run 40 metres and ran the ball in for a try under the posts. Captain Paul Smart converted, and in doing so set a new record for points scored in a season by any Cinque Ports player. From the kick off two other facets became obvious, Cinque Ports were giving away a lot of penalties placing more pressure on themselves and kicking from hand proved difficult with both sides failing to find touch. Rye again looked to break at every opportunity, and again Luke Price put an end to a promising break with a big tackle. Rye also transgressed and penalty opportunity was missed by Paul Smart, but a Dave Milham kick and chase found CPR on the five metre line and a number of penalties were taken as scrums which were held up inches from the line, Paul Smart also took the ball and was held up too. Taking a slightly less subtle approach Ben Hanny cut through on a sharp angle and ran through a mass of bodies to force his way over for a score in the corner. Paul Smart missed the conversion and the score sat at 12-0. The game looked won when Milham and Hanny connected again but a foot in touch put an end to the break. Rye fought back and a penalty was quickly followed by a counter attack try- a spilt ball allowing the quick Goons backs to run one in. 

The second half saw Paul Smart move to outside half (10) and Chris Eastwood at scrum half (9). This attacking move seemed for naught though as Rye increased the pressure massively, and a number of penalties and knock on saw Cinque Ports pinned back on their own five metre line. The yellow card produced for Dean Dedman increased the pressure but wave after wave was held back, Rye looked to drive it forward but were repulsed and looked to put it wide and were also repulsed. In one of the resulting scrums CPR put the pressure on the Goons scrum and they were going backwards, the Rye scrum half fumbled the ball at the base of the scrum and the ever quick CPR scrum half Chris Eastwood pounced on the loose ball. The number 9 brilliantly kicked the ball forward well over forty metres and then with another kick and a burst of pace saw him well over 65 metres up field, a third kick saw the impossible become possible as Chris Eastwood touched down after 95 metres of kick and chase. He was harried all the way by a desperate Rye defence who were stretched by his pace and his speed. Paul Smart narrowly missed the tough conversion, but CPR had withheld massive pressure and scored an opportunistic try. This turn of pressure by the CPR gave CPR a great deal of confidence whilst the Rye Goons pack having put CPR under so much pressure for so long  on the CPR try line found the long walk back to their own line to face the conversion kick disheartening to say the very least. The series of pressurised defensive scrums took it out of the pack and grizzled second row Bob Earle came on for Chris Perry to give extra grunt to a pack that had committed itself to be the rock solid base for the CPR’s game. The game looked won when Paul Smart slotted another penalty to take the score to be 20 - 10, but a gift of space to Rye saw one of their quick backs slide home. The game ended with both sides unable to break through, and another Yellow card for Mike Dangerfield saw CPR nervously biting their nails until the final whistle. Rob Fink and Craig Barningham put in some very effective tackles which proved to be powerful in stopping the Goons building up attacking platforms. Kevin Parker and Dale Whittington were able to steal several Rye lineout balls at crucial times. Manger Gavin Thomas was pleased with what he seen "I think grinding out a result like that shows how we have developed, in the past we might not have been able to withstand consistent pressure like that; our pack did all the grunt work and the backs took advantage of the ball they were given". Coach Terry Doorey named Tony Lawlor as CPR Man of the Match, and said "It was a shame I could not name the entire front row. The CPR scrum won six great balls against the head and were able to push the Rye pack backwards when it mattered in the set pieces.  In the lineout we were also able to take several of the Rye throws. It was hard fought and well contested victory for CPR”.

The next league game is at the Grove against East Grinstead III KO 2.15 on Saturday. CPR is still looking to recruit players and are hopeful that the second team will be taking to the pitch in early 2010, please see www.cinqueportsrugby.co.uk  for more details.

Team: Lawlor, Wright, Tritton, Parker, Perry (Earle), Dedman, Whittington, Barningham, Smart, Milham, Hanny, Price (Eastwood), Barthropp (Fink), Dangerfield, Malthouse (Waughman) Unused Subs Rumble, Bigg, Giles


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
2.1.2010.