Hove vets have had resurgence this season and even managed a win against the mighty Worthing. Many of their players including my business partner who plays in the centre for Hove were suggesting a hammering and a humiliation for us. Well bring it on.The weather for this year’s fixture had been somewhat kinder. Clear skies and no prospect of rain. Somewhat distant from the constant down pour that accompanied our previous encounter. A good omen for the OB’s as unlike the National side we are just a fair weather team! Or put more politely I know we enjoy it more if its not lashing it down.
15 minutes before KO and we are still not changed and ready for the vigorous of a hard fought contact game. In fact counting the numbers in the changing room we are still not a full team. A quick consultation of the team sheet and it appears that our ace in the pack Chris Sweet is not in fact present. Who’s going to take the kicks at goal? The pressure is relieved as Tiffer shows to great applause and Russell Taylor cruises in late as usual (cant talk myself as I usually gave Russ a lift to the games). After a brief team talk we are ready for the onslaught. For the majority of us this would be our first game of the season and in fact several of us had not played for many years. We ask the ref for a brief overhaul of the laws and we take the pitch to great applause from our travelling fans.
From the start it is obvious that we are in for a battle as Hove are committed and drive us upfield several times around the fringes. They have a large front five and it seems that they are determined to keep the ball tight and play in the half back channel. So hard tackling led by Julian Withers sees us gain in confidence and slowly we begin to win more ball. Our tactics are different from Hove, as we want to win quick ball and move it wide to enable our backs to find the space. This pays dividends and after a hard fought first quarter we begin to exert pressure. Russell Taylor who had drawn the short straw and was playing out of position on the right wing began to see more of the ball and with quick hands from all the backs bagged a quick brace of tries. The first of which saw him side step the last covering tackler from Hove and dart over in the corner. The second involved a backs move from a line out won once again from the ever present Lloydie. Henry Halcombe playing his first game for many years cleared the fringers from the break down, the skipper took the ball down the short side committed his man and put Russ in for his second. Tiffer was unsuccessful with both kicks from wide out but the first did manage to hit the upright and cross bar before staying pointless. For the remainder of the first half we continued to dominate, the forwards doing the hard work and enabling Tiffer to kick us into position or release the centre partnership of Dodd and Chettleburg time and again. The pick of the forwards for the first half was Henry Halcombe. He really is a devastating player with ball in hand or in defence. Time and again he drove forward with the rest of the back row triumvirate, namely Lloyd and Dodge.Just before half time Doddie took an inside pass from Bushy and barged through several tackles to make it 15 – 0 at the break. However Henry had to leave the field prematurely with a knock to the head. It may have been his last action for the day but Big H was back and everyone was dead keen to see more. Mad Ben Stott was stood on the touchline signalling his availability as sub. He’s mad see. But not mad enough to pay for a chair to get into a nightclub! Or was he? Mad maybe, stupid never, Stotty was more than welcome and filled the role of backrow supremo to the full. Tackling hard and running like a headless chicken.
Re-fuelled at half time with the skippers’ bravado and the customary glass of port, we started the second half in decline and allowed Hove back into the game. The same happened last year and after letting in a couple of soft interception tries, which put the score precariously at 15 – 10 we bounced back and put the match beyond them. Two more tries from the ever youthful Doddie to complete his hatrick, and a couple of solo efforts from Tiffer and Sam put the game far beyond the reach of the All Blacks let alone Hove Vets. We struggled to find a viable kicker for the conversions and the skipper decided to experiment with his options. Aiken and Nehls provided the comedy but Mad Ben provided the points and ended the day as the only forward on the score sheet. The ref blew the whistle with the OB’s rampant and wanting more, but the score line had to stay 37 – 10 in our favour.
Memories of the day include Tim Loadsman becoming the oldest OB to take the field again, Henry’s resurgence, Julian’s tackling, Lloyds lineout, Tigers silent fists, Tiffer’s boot, Sam’s shuffle, Dodd’s hatrick, Owen’s scrum cap, Taylor’s brace and Stott’s conversion. Thanks to all who came and watched and thanks to Bushy for sorting the new kit with the Indiana.We all looked forward to our next fixture and stupidly declared our availability before the stiffness of the game sank in over the next couple of days. Doddy did his downing in the bar and we all went home happy. Thanks to all the squad: John Aiken, Julian Withers, John Nehls, Tiger Lewis, Slapper, Tim Loadsman, Lloyd, Roger Simmons, Henry Halcombe, Ben Stott, Joey Appleton, Chris Sweet, Sam Chettleburg, Mark Dodd, Russell Taylor, Gerald Bush, Owen and the ever present President Peter Rumney
Those wishing to play in future should email Joey Appleton - joey@eggnet.co.uk.
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