Overcast conditions at Chiswick rugby clubs grass pitch…. A few issues re markings were resolved with flags and cones… we are a few weeks away from playing at King’s House due to the condition of the pitch there. The players endured the hardship of walking with all their kit down to the pitch side (as seen in some of the pictures). No return to the changing room before kick-off and a final shirt change pitch side. Kick off was at 2pm following Medway’s inflexibility for a 5.30 kick off on a 4G pitch. The pitch has not changed much since I played on it in 1980, slope, uneven surface, grass of vastly varying lengths…. Enough of a pre-amble…

CS Stags 1863 kicked off up the hill (river on the left) with a cross wind towards the river, benefitting neither side. The Stags maintained pressure from the kick off with solid tacking and cleaning passing, staying in Medway’s half. The first scoring opportunity came in the first half with a penalty for John Hargreaves (10) to give the Stags a 3-0 lead.

Following the re-start the Stags held their own with Medway not able to progress due to the intensity and tempo of the Stags play. Stags counter rucked on the halfway line releasing the ball to the back line, following an interchange of passes, Luke Trigg (11) broke multiple tackles to score in the left-hand corner, extending the lead to 8-0, conversion missed. Medway had one attempt to get some points on the board with a penalty from the halfway but missed. The Stags continued to play with a strong tackling game, while challenging for the ball at every opportunity.

The final score of the first half came from our own 22, following a kick from Medway fielded by Luke Trigg (11), who promptly released the back line …. A number of tackles broken and a score for the opposite winger Milo Linney (14) in the right corner. Impressive passing, running and support. With the conversion missed the score went to 13-0.

Medway were certainly rattled as they kicked off straight to touch, the following scrum was however not good with pressure forcing us back a number of metres. Enough to say we were not having everything our own way, but our pressure and their inconsistency meant we were controlling the game.

The end of the first half came with CS Stags 1863 13-0 ahead.

The second half started well, but Medway were not letting us have it all our own way. Medway had the first score of the first half following a break and scored a try and conversion – 13-7. Medway had their tails up and broke out to our 22, only being stopped by what was perceived a high tackle… a yellow card followed for CSStags 1863, the subsequent penalty kick missed by Medway in front of the posts. Down to 14 men.

CSStags1863 were sucking up a lot of pressure in their own 22 before moving the ball down the line with good hands. The movement was stopped in the Medway 22 but the forward momentum meant the ball was released with Dan James (1) scoring from within the 10m line – 18-7. The conversion was missed by centimetres.

Being backed to 15 players was short lived as we took a further yellow for repeated offenses defending our 22. Medway were forcing a reaction, opting for multiple scrums and not being able to crack a sterling effort from 1 through to 8. An impressive effort from every player ensuring that Medway did not manage to cross the line.

Our next score came from a sequence of drives, with the ball being lost and being regained before Tom Johnson (4) stormed in from 10 metres out. John Hargreaves (10) converted – 25-7 and a bonus point secured. This all with 14 men on the pitch.

The Stags pushed to the end… Noah Callaghan (13) went on another one of his strong runs, interchanged with his fellow backs, before we were held up 5 metres out a ruck formed, and Noah went blind and scored easily in the corner. The conversion missed meant CSStags1863 finished the game at 30-7.

An impressive performance of hard running, strong tackling, ball retention, pinpoint passing and a desire to work as a team…. Impressive…..

Man of the Match, as selected by Chris Swann (DoR) (who had a sublime game running touch….) – Alex Jones (9) skipper for the day, who lead the team, caused all sorts of problems to the opposition with the speed of his passing, his decision making and his tackling.