Seaford I vs Pulborough I - Saturday 1st October 2011

Final Score: Seaford 19 vs Pulborough 33

Team: J.Wilson, K.Lewis, S.Parker, P.Culshaw (S.Diplock), B.Joy (B.Lane), J.Anderson, J.Sheppard, D.Newby, D.Kristiansen, S.Baker (B.Cox), S.Dimmer, P.Burns (Capt.), C.Burns, M.Shearing, N.Everson.

Seaford welcomed Pulborough to the Salts on a record-breaking day for October, with temperatures hitting 26°, which any player will agree can certainly change the course of the match.

The determination in Pulborough to claim victory was evident from the kick off. Two minutes in and Pulborough had put their first seven points on the board with a break off the back of the scrum from centre field, and the attacker picking a path through to the try line.

Seaford were somewhat caught off guard with this move but quickly readjusted their approach to the game and using phased play pushed back deep into their opponents territory. After some good driving play by the forwards, the ball eventually crossed the line in the hands of number 8, Danny Newby. Unfortunately, Pulborough defence were packed in strong and were able to hold the ball up from the ground. Seaford continued to plug at the try line but could not take those last few steps to gain the points and the ball was eventually won back by Pulborough and cleared.

Pulborough certainly looked the stronger team but thanks to some well rehearsed defensive moves, Seaford were able to keep them from crossing the try line as often as they could have during the first half. Pulborough did however add a successful penalty kick twenty minutes in, taking their lead to 10 points.

Seaford collected their first points with a try by Matt Shearing thirty minutes in. Seaford had kept possession of the ball long enough to take the play into Pulborough’s half. After winning a scrum around the 22 line, the ball was shipped out to the blind side, through the hands of Simon Baker and Nick Everson over to Shearing on the wing, who careered through two defenders and down to the ground for five points. The conversion attempt, every kickers nightmare to be taken from just off the sideline, was narrowly missed.

Before half time, Pulborough dug deep and outplayed Seaford around the field, increasing their lead by a further fifteen points, 25 to 5, with another penalty and two tries, one converted. Despite Seaford’s good coverage of the pitch defensively, Pulborough found an ability to pick holes in the line and create scoring opportunities.

Mirroring the original kick off, Pulborough came out from half time to score immediately from the restart. Catching Seaford still composing themselves for the game, Pulborough caught the restart kick in their own 22 and ran the ball the length of the pitch to the far wing. Going unconverted, this put a further five points to their lead.

Seaford knew that they had not lost the game yet and made valiant efforts to get further points. Eventually they were blessed with their second try by the quick thinking of Jim Anderson; when awarded a penalty on Pulborough’s 22 line, Anderson performed a quick tap and go and darted over the line before Pulborough really grasped what was happening. This was then successfully converted by Ben Cox.

Pulborough added their final points with a penalty to take it to 33 – 12. Pulborough certainly looked to have the majority of control over the game but this did not stop Seaford from owning the closing minutes of the game, scoring their third try as the last play of the game. The ball had been handled well gaining ground up the field, then flowing from the centres out to Nick Everson on the wing, who ran the ball up to Pulborough’s defensive line, dodging round the tackles and carrying it the rest of the way to the try line. Cox successfully kicked the conversion to put the final score at 33 to 19.

Despite the loss, Seaford played some good solid rugby and will come away a stronger team after learning from the few setbacks during the game. Next week, Saturday 8th October, Seaford takes a road trip to face Rye I’s.