Chipstead 2ndXV first game of the season

The fixture:
Any game against Dorking is always going to be difficult especially on the weekend before all their u21's return to their respective unis. Turning up with only 13 players (3 no shows and Ian Burroughs' train was delayed !) was always going to prove a step too far especially as we then only had 4 recognised backs.

Dorking kindly lent us 2 players - we asked for a prop (so yours truely didn't have to play) and a 9 or 10 as half backs were of a premium !

The back they lent us turned out to be a 'back'-row so not quite the Wilko we were hoping to fill in at 10 outside our very own Josh 'Care' Burrill.

The pack were competative from the start and won more than their fair share of opposition scrums with Midi-Keegs regulalry pick the ball out of the scrum-halves hands to win against the head. The line-out a little bit more of a lottery but equal amounts of good quality and stolen balls.

The game plan was to keep the ball as tight as possible and keep away from the big, young and fast Dorking back line and when we were able to we looked impressive. Trouble was it's very difficult to do that for 80 minutes and the back three of Mini-Keegs, Sammy and Matt Partridge were regularly under pressure and although valiant in defence were breached a couple of times.

A quick switch around and moving another one of our back row's - Ben Gilbert in as the playmaker at 10 meant the game started to balance out a little more Richard Bridges often letting the massive Dorking 12 through the line so he could instead concentrate on making the glory cover tackles in the corner!

Half time arrived and the tally was 4 tries to 1 (their loan player scored !) but there was real believe that if the ball was kept tight there could be real chance of making inroads to their lead.

Almost immediatly that believe was proved correct the forwards upping their game with majestical passages of play with support running and off-loads with the old guard of Fergie, Simmo and Elbrow being suitably supported by Josh D, George and Johnnie W.

The Dorking backs kept making punishing attacks when given the ball to play with meant they kept the score board ticking over too.

The final quarter of an hour was all Chipstead - which does at least bode well for the fitness levels and they scored 12 un-answered points (including a Fergie conversion).

The ample crowd in attendance warmly applauded the players off the field having seen two very different teams play a very high-level and enteraining game !

Men of the match was Josh Burrill and Ben Gilbert for the forwards and backs (not sure which was which !)

Chey