If London Media’s house style is to turn up with only a few minutes to kick off and put faith in the gods to supply a performance of note this Saturday provided yet another opportunity to present this approach as the rule not the exception. Many hearts and minds were still with the festivities of the proceeding evening, not least your scribe who would certainly have done anything not to be being sick with 10 mins until KO.
Alas, the forces of revelry, unforeseen traffic and missed trains conspired against us and we got off to a slow start conceding several scores in the first 20 mins. Let’s say for arguments sake its 20-odd nil at this point. But despite a misfiring line out and pretty shoddy rucking at scrum time we were starting to gain the ascendancy until another try conceded coincided with Nelly dislocating a finger. Cue uncontested scrums for the rest of the game and our one notable toehold lost. Another conceded score and the anxiety of staring down the barrel of a big one going into the break was growing by the minute.
But we are made of sterner stuff than that and with the hangovers run out of the system Media came exploding out of the blocks at the beginning of the second period. A bullocking run down one flank saw Rich Willoughby put Tom Lindley in over the corner. This was swiftly followed by another score by Tim Britten (?) after some champagne link up play again with backs and forwards involved. Cue 39-10 which became 39-15 when Dan Jones was put over in the far corner. Had some loser not then dropped the ball with the tryline at his mercy then the fightback which Old Tiffs were palpably realising was on the cards could have been well and truly underway. Alas, it was not and the oppo ran out a couple more tries without reply to serve up a slightly undeserved 56-15 loss to the mighty Media.
So all in all a bad day at the office but we should be encouraged enough by the second half that there is no reason why we can’t put a win together in Battersea. Special mention to Dan Poulson and Nick Dabinett who were strong in the front five. Tom Lindley who had another good game at scrum half, Dai Rees whose opposite man will be having sleepless nights in the run up to the return fixture and Dan Jones who was solidity personified under the peppering of kicks he was fielding at full back.
DOTD: Sam Parker, aforementioned loser.
MOTM (3 way tie in Saturdays voting): Dan Jones, Tom Lindley, Dai Rees
