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Hampstead fall just short against London Welsh

Hampstead fall just short against London Welsh

User 196542012 Sep 2016 - 12:47
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by Ben Pullinger

On a warm, humid and wet afternoon Hampstead 3s turned up to Waps former training ground, the site of former glories most famously this was the site of Sumo’s try against twice former European Champions Wasps.

The day started strangely when Martin O’Connor was the first to arrive 20 minutes, he was slowly joined in the changing with Hampstead players in differing states of freshness. With both 3s captains deciding to take the day off, rumour was they didn’t fancy playing in the rain, Kris Britland was appointed as captain.

With Hampstead doing their usual warmup of touch and dynamic stretches under the posts, with a couple of players trying their hardest not to see the remnants of last nights’ booze, London Welsh tried to intimidate Hampstead by doing a full warm up with pads and cones.

After a rousing team talk from KB, Hampstead started well with a good kick off from play maker Yorke, leading to a knock on and scrum down. Due to the slickness of the ball, Hampstead thought today was a day of ball up the jumper rugby. However, from the resulting scrum Yorke spotted that the fullback wasn’t at home and put a lovely little grubber kick on the 5 meter line under the posts. Unfortunately, the fullback was able to get round and London Welsh cleared in touch.

London Welsh were able to disrupt the Hampstead lineout successfully though out the game, although the more often we can get players done to training the more successful our set piece will be. During the next 20 minutes something happened that surprised all Hampstead players occurred, Hampstead were able to successfully defend wave after wave of London Welsh attach, although silly penalties were given away, Hampstead still kept their rear-guard action up, until finally the dam burst and London Welsh were able to squeeze over.

After a quick talk under the posts Hampstead were ready to start again and build on the great defence, however Hampstead proved unable to keep the ball for more than a couple of phases but the defence stood up to the London Welsh attacks and every Hampstead man stood up to be counted in defence. However more penalties were given away, and London Welsh sensing this would be a tight game went for the posts. The Welsh kick must have summoned up the spirit of Tom Mullard as he missed the kick in front of the posts but he did make one before the half ended.

With Hampstead making their changes at halftime, some expected the intensity to drop but no, Hampstead came out ready for the second half and were able to secure the ball and work their way into the Welsh 22. Throughout this period of play, there was one voice that stood out, that of Martin O’Connor shouting “He’s got to release him Sir! Hands all over it Sir!” With captain KB releasing that the ref might be coming to the end of his tether from the barrage from Martin, he was quickly subbed off and went for a walk to calm himself down. Despite 10 minutes of sustained pressure, Hampstead were unable to get on the scoreboard and Welsh stole the ball and hoofed it down field seeing that all players were in attack and no one was home. Winger James Keene was the first man back and was able to collect the ball, spin round and see that he had 2 men about to tackle him. With time slowing down, James realised what had to be done and went to kick the ball into touch, those on the side lines watched as everything seemed to slow down. The ball rose in the air and went backwards, fortunately KB was tracking back and was able to get the ball into touch.

Throughout the second half, London Welsh were unable to ask the questions that they did in the first and Hampstead were able to play more than a couple of phases before losing the ball, which Martin put down to the fact that they might now be releasing after making the tackle, but still not enough for his liking. Although they were able to get another penalty in front of the posts and went for the posts, despite leading 8-0. As the kicker kicked the ball and saw it passing just outside the right upright and let out an obscenity, the Welsh touch judge lifted his flag to say it had gone through the posts. The referee said that he had to go with the touch judge but Hampstead used this to work their way down the field and the forwards were able to get some great forward ball, from pick and go’s with off-loads, lead in this effort but Justin Walsh and our scrum half, Tom “Mike Philips” McGoldrick. Tom had mentioned at every break to keep everything simple and he truly took this to heart as he looked for contact at every opportunity.

Hampstead were able to get a penalty on the edge of the Welsh 22. Realising that there was not much time left, McGoldrick kicked for touch and had his heart in his mouth and the ball rebounded off the try line flag and into touch for a Hampstead line out on the Welsh 22.

Hampstead were able to secure the ball, and Mcgoldrick, although he claimed later that there was a forward in the 10 channel, went for touch. Rumour has it that he heard an Irish voice in his ear, saying “Going on my son, this is the place were dreams are made, were wondrous tries are scored. If you score on this field, your try can go down in Hampstead legend, just like mine” So against a side which has produced no less than 16 British & Irish Lions, McGoldrick went for glory. He bobbed and weaved his way round the back of the lineout, past the outstretched arms of the prop at the back, a hand off to the scrum half and he was over. “Sumo, that one was for you” he was heard to have said under his breath.

With Ed Dilnott-Cooper calling for the tee, Yorke found out that the game was over and dropped for the posts and missed.

Final Score London Welsh 11 – Hampstead 5

Man of the match: Justin Walsh
DoD: James Keene for his 'inspired' touch-finder.

Further reading