Match Report

 Southgate 10-24 Eastern

11/08/07 (Courtesy of Southgate Skolars)

 

Southgate Skolars hosted Eastern Raiders in this London League semi-final match. The game started with both sides completing their first three sets, but failing to make any great yardage before a long break by the Raiders. Southgate full-back Nathaniel Alcarez-Stapleton made a try saving tackle but the visitor’s stand-off crossed the line two tackles later. Shortly afterwards some quick passing to the wing from short-range gave the Raiders their second try, a touch-line conversion giving them a 10-0 lead after eight minutes.

 

Southgate were unlucky not to reduce the deficit when Eddie Mbaraga surprised the opposition defence with a run from 15 metres out on the last tackle, but after skipping round several defenders he lost control of the ball as he dived for the line. On 16 minutes Eastern broke the line from inside their own half, and once again Alcarez-Stapleton’s last ditch tackle was in vain as the Southgate defence could not regroup in time to prevent a dummy-half scoot at the ensuing play-the-ball. Over the next 20 minutes both defences were dominant, but Southgate showed signs of coming back into the game, and shortly before half-time Ant Dellar’s short chip was fumbled by the Raiders full-back. Alcarez-Stapleton dropped on the loose ball for a deserved try which brought the half-time score to 6-14.

 

The second half continued the trend of dominant defence, and it was not until the 65^th minute that the next score came, the Eastern Raiders dummy-half diving over from one metre out. Southgate, sensing that time was running out, responded well on their next possession. Taking full advantage of a penalty for holding down, they worked the ball along the left-hand side of the field, and prop Leeson Sinclair barged over to reduce the arrears to 10-18, giving the home team a glimmer of hope. However, this was short lived as in the 72^nd minute, a break down the right wing, followed by a clever lobbed pass back toward the centre of the field gave Eastern a try under the sticks. The conversion gave them a 24-10 lead that was maintained until the end of the match.