Mersea Island 10-15 Southwold
11th January 2014
Match report written by Anthony Bohncke

Arn the wold!!!

Following three wins on the trot, and an excellent defensive performance against Harwich last week Southwold travelled down to Essex full of confidence and belief they could make it four from four. Southwold had a number of changes to the one that took the field against Harwich last week, but it was still a strong team that would be able to take on Mersea.

Due to the recent weather floods meant that Mersea were not able to play on their own pitch so the match was relocated to Colchester. Southwold also welcomed back their club captain Sam Webb after a long period out injured, he was back and ready to make an impact for the Black and Gold!

As the match began it was Mersea who took the initiative and ran at the Southwold team from the kick off, a missed tackle in the midfield allowed Mersea to score within minutes. The score was converted 7-0 to Mersea. From the Mersea scoring early, Southwold started playing good rugby and spaces were appearing in the midfield of the Mersea defence.

It wasn’t too long until Southwold were in the Mersea 22 and the pressure was beginning to count. Playing into the wind, Southwold played a physical game keeping close to the breakdown, staying on their feet and gaining yards. After some solid build up play, Duncan Hume was able to put pressure on the Mersea defence before offloading the ball to the powerful scampering piglet James Hall who was able to fend off the Mersea full back before scoring, 7-5 to Mersea.

From the restart Mersea were straight back at Southwold with phases being built up in the Southwold half. When Mersea did find space up the wing they were able to exploit it and run hard and fast towards the corner and the try line, but an outstanding try-saving tackle from Tim O’Connell robbed Mersea Island of a certain score. The rest of the first half was a cagey affair with both team cancelling each other out and no real chances being made. During this time Wold starved the Islanders of any possession until they could have the wind at their backs. It was 7-5 to Mersea at half time.

Southwold with the wind behind them in the second half, and the game continued how the first had finished with no real team taking a grip hold on the game and it was a very tight and anxious game to watch especially, only this time Southwold dominated territory. Alex Rookyard received the ball in the midfield he powered his way through the Mersea defence from the 22 to score, tensions began to ease, 10-7 to the Wold!

Mersea were straight back at Southwold with direct running at hard up front rugby. When a knock on did come about, the Southwold scrum was more than holding its own, it was pushing the Mersea pack backwards on several occasions, great passion and strength to see from the tight five! Great to Joe Block and Luke Kelly marching back all that Mersea had it offer.

The following passages of play belonged again to Mersea and when phases built up they were able to spin the ball wide and scored in the corner 12-10 to Mersea. In the build up to the try, one of the Mersea players sustained a terrible injury, which meant the game had a long stoppage and eventually meant the match had to be move to another pitch.

The change of pitch allowed time for Southwold to refocus and concentrate on getting themselves back in front and not let this distract them. Darren Fisher charged down a clearance kick from the Mersea fly half and was desperately unlucky not to gather the ball - a certain score went begging.

The final passages of play were again tightly fought with Southwold having most of the territory but not the possession, but when Sam Webb stole ball from the Mersea line out in thier 22, hard running from Rookyard, Kelly and Block allowed the same scampering piglet, James Hall to score in a muddy corner, 15-12 to Southwold!

The Southwold team were able to hold out for another fantastic win and were pulling away from the bottom teams and getting closer to the middle of the table, great effort from all players involved!

Southwold do not have a league game now until the 8th February when Swaffham visit the common. Training will still be intense with the focus on maintaining the current form.