Road to Twickers has begun

After reaching the area quarter finals last year in the rfu junior vase and it ending in controversial circumstances, we started this season hoping it would be a nice momentum starter ahead of our Surrey 1 campaign against Old Pauline's on the 19th September.

We were drawn against Midhurst at home in round 1, they last year got promotion to Sussex 1 so had been used to winning. Compare that to our fortunes last year and it could of been seen as a evenly contested match up. With a brillant depth in the senior squad this year even with around 10 usual players unavailable, it was a chance for all the players to impress new Head Coach Harrison May.

A last minute change due to Tom Colyer failing a fitness test, Ollie Best was brought back into the fold and taken under this young teams wing after 4 years out of the game. And it was to be that Ollie got our first competitive points of the season. This was duly converted by our bionic Ed Bush after 17 months out with his #shknee. With our pack deciding whether we needed the ball at the scrum every time mainly due to Matty Barretta hard work ( he worked his way through 3 props). The backs had the ball at will, a quick tap by no9 bush that was debatable whether he even tapped it, passed to Ryan Dupe who unselfishly put James Mann in The top corner. Bush with a wonder kick who knew he had it in him (0/129 kicks at training on Thursday ).

Next up the forwards wanted one for the mantelpiece and elected for a scrum when the midhurst no11 was lucky to get away with a second knockdown in the space of a couple of minutes. The forwards walked the Midhurst pack back over their line at a rate of knots hopefully collecting a pushover try for the front row to tell the grandkids alas it was not to be as our no8 James Mann decided to leave the ball and let Ed Bush have a try on his comeback. What a great mate. Funnily enough that was where Bush 100% kicking ratio would end on his own try.

And that was the score line at the half time oranges 19-0 to the chips.

The second half kicked off with Sean Powers coming off to be replaced by Adam Vallance , the referee mentioned we only had 14 and so Warwick Scott came on for the disappearing Ollie Best who had gone to the changing room to reapply his baby oil. After lovely hands by Forrest and Boz, Piers Robinson went over in the corner acrobatically on his first competitive start after his graduation from the juniors. Bush still hadn't found his kicking boots.

Much has been made of chips discipline but with only conceding around 5 penalties and no yellow cards, things have obviously started as they mean to go on under Coach May. Midhurst recieved their second yellow card for a punch on Adam Hollidge right in front of the ref. the first player to go the bin was their no9 for killing the ball.

Next the forever young and immature Martyn Floodgate got on the score to show he still has it, we don't know what it is but it could be his shampoo. Bush steadied himself and got back into his grove and converted. Gerard Matthews came off the bench to make his second competitive appearance after the last league game of the season last year.

Our own line out was an area of concern with things not gelling but Michael the salmon Mason did win 99.99% of theirs, it probably helped they had only 1 line out option, his lifters were great getting his rig off the ground or their hooker just liked throwing it to him, he however got the plaudits.
Alex Cooksley got the next try after great determination to make the line shrugging off desperate last ditch tackles to keep the score line respectable. Ed make sure we got the extras.
Adam Hollidge was doing everything in his power to be on the shoulder of every break made by the team however he probably wished he hadn't . Although it was one of his best games in the royal blue and gold.
Great hounding down by the forwards made the Midhurst back 3 panic and Ed Bush capped off a great solo day for him with his second and converted his own to make it a 7 pointer.
That was 45-0 and we were told to go for 50, I don't know whether it was that or tiredness or the fact the game was probably all wrapped up but Midhurst got 2 tries in quick succession both converted, both largely down to our own silly mistakes but we will learn from them.
In all honesty Midhurst deserved to go back to Sussex with some points on the board as they never gave up and were a great bunch of lads and we wish them all good luck in their first season back at Level 9 in Sussex 1.
There was still time for CHIPSTEAD to have the last word and they did make it to 50 when Alex Cooksley stupidly gave it to Boz on the try line to round off his man of the match performance with a try. Bush missed the conversion to bring the whistle on a lovely day at #fortressmeads.
Solid performances all round with man of the match and forwards was Boz and backs Ed Bush but a couple of strong performances from James Mann - was like a bull in a china shop, Si Martin - can tackle! And Matty B in the front row. So tough choices for Messiahs C.Dupe, E.Elbrow & H.May to make as we start the league season off with a home double header.
1s v Old Pauline's 1 pm Kickoff
2s v Old Blues tbc
Training Tuesday and Thursday 7:30pm
Club open from 6 for England v Fiji game .