Old Gs kicked off 2017 with a trip to South East London to face a Greenwich outfit that they had comfortably dispatched earlier in the season in the return fixture.
With the the side unbeaten throughout the league campaign so far and sitting atop of Kent 2 they were confident of doing the double over a Greenwich side that were sitting in the middle echelons on the league. However as in any situation they were fully aware that victories do not just happen and that a good performance needed to be produced to continue the winning streak.
Old Gs kicked off and initially struggled to retain possession. Despite the likes of Matt Johnson, debutant Steve Hurdle and wise head Mat Coomber looking lively in the loose there was little pattern to Old Gs play and little to cheer. They coughed up the ball all too easily to allow Greenwich a foothold in the game.
They also struggled with discipline, not blowing away the cobwebs of the Christmas break, giving away numerous penalties at the breakdown to see the home side pin them back into their own 22. Winning a penalty 30 yards out Greenwich elected to kick for goal but the effort sailed wide to let Old Gs off with a warning shot.
Slowly but surely they worked their way into the game. Andy Morris and Jack Nash led from the front with ball carrying and even though it wasn’t pretty Greenwich were gradually being forced back with the Old Boys controlling territory and possession. Continuity remained an issue though against a stubborn Greenwich defence but in truth it didn’t feel like an Old Gs try was far away.
It arrived when Morris and Nash set a few phases allowing the ball to be worked through the backline to the powerful Ricky Harding who stepped inside his man and flew over for the opening score. Matt Thompson converted for a 7-0 lead.
Old Gs have been profitable all season when they have created space out wide and moved the ball to the likes of Chris Johnson, Ryan Lockyer and the deadly James Hood. They were struggling to do this, not committing enough Greenwich defenders to the breakdown and the usual effective dummy runners in the backline not deceiving their opponents. Hood, Johnson and Lockyer, on for the injured Harding, cut lonely figures out wide during the first half, with little opportunity for them to threaten.
A second score arrived though. From a set scrum, Nash broke down the blindside and offloaded to veteran scrum half Mike Hodge who with all his guile, experience and dare say it pace dived over in the corner. Thompson couldn’t find the mark from out wide. 12-0.
Despite their advantage Old Gs were not fully in the groove. 50/50 passes were not finding their mark, silly offloads were thwarting progress and the usual effective support play and high work rate wasn’t quite to the fore. Whilst not helped by the sticky conditions underfoot Old Gs knew that they were not anywhere near the top of their game.
Credit to Greenwich though who proudly piled forward sensing their opportunity to threaten the league leaders. Their powerful forward runners and inside centre hammered into the Old Gs rear-guard throughout. Even though the Old Gs defence stood firm another penalty was soon conceded and the home side reduced the deficit to 12-3 as the half time whistle blew.
The half time message from coach Andy Miller was simple – cut out the high risk offloads and keep the ball, starving the opposition of possession to create continuity, and the chances would come.
Receiving the ball in the second half the difference in Old Gs was clear. Forward runners, including Frazer Barnes, Brett Buckingham and Noel Hartley flew into the Greenwich defence with increased vigour that was so lacking in the first period. This was creating space for Matt Holdstock at 10, and Dave Boyer, up to 12 in the absence of Harding, to bring the dangerous wider backs into the game.
Old Gs then extended their lead with a backs move straight off the training ground. Holdstock and Boyer combined to send flyer Ryan Lockyer through a hole in the Greenwich defence. Lockyer drew the advancing full back and released the supporting Matt Thompson to breeze in under the posts. Holdstock converted and the lead was 19-3.
The Old Gs forwards were now full of energy and intensity, even though not quite hitting the standards they have set in previous fixtures. Morris again piled forward, well supported by the non-stop Matt Johnson and Mat Coomber. Morris was stopped just short of the line denying him a first try of the season, and Hartley so close to stretching out for a first Old Gs try.
The relentless phases were now troubling Greenwich and space was appearing for out wide. Old Gs capitalised on this with the backline putting the ball though the hands to enable James Hood to scoot over in the corner for try number 24 of a lethal season. The conversion from Holdstock slipped wide, 24-3.
The game entered a scrappy period, both sides struggling to understand the match officials interpretation of the breakdown and defences putting in some good hits to thwart each other progress.
Old Gs rang the changes, Paul Mitchell on for Noel Hartley, Steve Millar on for the impressive debutant Steve Hurdle. Both made a good impact, with Mitchell putting the squeeze on his opposite number in the scrum and Millar strong in the loose as he took the game to Greenwich – despite an interesting attempt and a chip and chase past a covering defender.
Two further tries followed to seal the game. From another set play, Matt Thompson hit an excellent line as he flew past the covering defence for his second of the afternoon. Holdstock converted for 31-3.
Then in the last play of the game Old Gs forwards flew forward, the backs combined with them and Lockyer and Boyer were hauled down just short. Despite a big overlap, Mike Hodge sensed an opportunity from the base of the breakdown and sniped over to double his tally for the afternoon. Holdstock converted with the last kick of the match and final score of 38-3.
Despite this not being a spectacular performance from Old Gs this was still another resounding victory. In the tight Andy Morris and Mat Coomber were excellent, hammering into the opposition and dragging team mates with them. Matt Thompson finished both his tries well and Ryan Lockyer made a strong impact out wide when coming off the bench.
Greenwich battled hard throughout and their aggressive, non-stop, committed defence was a credit to their club. Old Gs wishes them well for the rest of the season.
The win sees Old Gs make in 13 wins from 13 games in the league and they remain at the top of Kent 2, 13 points clear of nearest rivals Whitstable. There is no scheduled fixture for Old Gs next week, but they return with a home match on 21st January against Bexley.