MAY & BAKER R.U.F.C

FRIENDLY – 8th December 07 May and Baker 8 .v. 7 Writtle Wanderers

As Christmas gets closer & closer weather begins to affect the pitches, and in atrocious conditions May & Baker came out on top, in a wet, physical, forwards game.

May & Baker are getting the reputation as slow starters. The home side lived up to their reputation as within 10 minutes Writtle were more prepared to get their hands dirty and sloppy work led to the opening score.

As the battle continued hard work in the pack from Colin Buckmaster, Keith Friend, and Danny Green kept May & Baker in the game. However, Writtle were prepared to mess around with the ball on the floor and were not being punished by the May & Baker pack.

May & Baker spent 10 minutes cramped into the Writtle twenty-two and Danny Green, Danny Brown, & Andy Yarrow all had chances to go over from short range but great defence from the Visitors held M & B. Mickey Engwell was next to try to breach the line but could not break through.

The try did not come for Baker’s until just before half time when a clearance kick from Wanderers was hurried due to good pressure by the whole of the May & Baker back row. Jamie Yates tried to counter attack but was stopped and good ball from stand in scrum half Josh Procter few Garry O’Sullivan who put a low but firm kick in, that returning winger Rob Turner touched down from to put M & B on the board. Engwell missed the conversion as a result of the terrible conditions. The try meant a lot to Turner as it was his first try for the club!

As weather conditions worsened the second half was a soggy, mud bath. There was no score until 7 minutes from the end when tired bodies from Writtle gave a penalty away in a kickable position, captain Garry O’Sullivan signalled a kick at goal and Mickey Engwell delivered the crucial boot to edge May & Baker infront by the skin of their teethes. Tommy Capper got quite a serious injury Saturday and we wish him all the best and hope to see him playing again soon.

The win is just what the doctor ordered for over a Christmas period filled with big league & cup matches for May & Baker. The May & Baker side lay mid-table and need a good string of results over Christmas to reach top 4 status. Vice-Captain Andy Yarrow said ‘From this weekend you can see that the young guns in the pack are grooming into good players and that they can front up if the weather signals for a forwards game. Our backs are full of potential. We are still recruiting new players week by week but consistency & a poor opening twenty minutes every week is proving costly. If we can stamp out these errors there is not much in our way from climbing to high heights in the league and cup.’

A big thank to all supporters, as bad weather begins to come in it is great to see a crowd still firmly behind us!! We hope you’re with us next week when we travel for a crucial mid-table league match Away to Chelmsford. Hope to see lots of you there making some noise for the boys!!!

MAN OF THE MATCH: Josh Procter

SQUAD: Colin Buckmaster, Colon Comben, Dick Williams, Keith Friend, Darren Weeks, Danny Green, Danny Brown, Andy Yarrow, Josh Procter, Garry O’Sullivan, Steve Capper, Mickey Engwell, Rob Turner, Paul Day, Jamie Yates, Wayne Gateson, and Tommy Capper.

FRIENDLY – 13th October 07 Harlow 17 .v. 17 May & Baker

Same story ain this week, due to injuries and people being away May & Baker turned up with a team that was not familiar with each other. Only this week there was a difference, this time the team is beginning to bond and develop into a great squad that returning players will struggle to get into.

A good blend of youth & age is coming together now and May & Baker showed hints of what they are capable of. The problem being May & Baker have some of the best backs in the league but a small pack that are struggling to compete with the bigger side.

Last Saturday the young smaller pack faced up to a much bigger and stronger Harlow pack. Only difference is this week that pack stood up and were counted. They bullied the stronger pack at every aspect of forward play.

The line outs were especially strong when Harlow threw in after 6 minutes and tapped down ball to their scum half Josh Procter earned M & B a penalty that Mickey Engwell slotted over to give May & Baker a 3 – 0 lead. M & B or only the second time this year did not start half asleep.

Further work in open play from the front five who played excellently all day, earned good ball for the backs who combined with the back row were creating overlaps that Harlow struggled to deal with, I think if Baker’s would have kept the ball in hand there would have been more chances to score but instead we kicked a lot of ball away.

The referee was controversial all day and a debatable decision gifted Harlow a penalty after 25 minutes to level the score against the run of play. May & Baker didn’t like this so took it upon themselves to get the scoreboard moving. Bob Patten secured line out ball and Garry O’Sullivan bossed a good game, and sent Andy Yarrow onto a crash ball before quick hands released Danny Brown who drove further forward before earning a line out. From the line out O’ Sullivan switched with Mickey Engwell to create a huge gap that Engwell bursted threw, stepped the full back and scored under the posts, the inform Center showing great potential. He converted his own try.

Before half time Martin Lee & Garry O’ Sullivan tried playing a kicking game and it worked well until during last play when Harlow returned a kick, and a slip in defence allowed Harlow to score a lucky try against play. It was converted as the half time whistle sounded.

Great breaks during that half from Josh Procter, Dean Mason, and Danny Brown were proving to be a difference. Colin Buckmaster was destroying every prop up against him! This gave Rob Patten & Andy Yarrow the chance to do more around the pitch.

It did not take long for May & Baker to pick up where they left off. Darren Drake 7 Chris Young defended well and good turn over ball earned by the back row released Mickey Engwell for his third try of the season and second of the game, he added the extras.

It seems to be May & Bakers problem that due to their average young age they lack that killer instinct to kill a team off. This showed again as they let their foot off the gas and allowed Harlow’s scrum half to drive over from short distance, after being held up on his previous attempt by Andy Gore. Sadly, this time he did score and it was converted to tie the game again.

Later in the game May & Baker had a chance to win when they earned a penalty just out of kicking distance so Yarrow went quick and as a result earned a penalty closer to the line that Engwell kicked just wide. Dean Mason, Martin Lee, and Andy Yarrow had little breaks but did not have enough to get the draw off the board.

This draw was arguably the best game some of the squad have ever played in for May & Baker. May & Baker showed the potential that they will need next week to get their league campaign back on track at home to Old Brentwood’s before England try to retain the World Cup!!! Just like Harlow, Old Brentwood’s have a massive pack that the M & B pack must front up to! If we stop the OB’s pack our backs have the chance to win us the game and even the league, there is so much potential KEEP IT UP!!!!!! Recent support has been excellent and hopefully you enjoyed the nail-bighting game.

Due to their performances this year so far Mickey Engwell, Andy Yarrow, and Ross Williams have been selected to represent the Essex Merit Table in a presidents XV against a Millwal ‘Beerbarians’ side to give their number 8 a good sent off as he departs for South Africa.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Mickey Engwell

SQUAD: Colon Comben, Colin Buckmaster, Rob Patten, Danny Brown, Andy Gore, Josh Procter, Andy Yarrow, Martin Lee, Garry O’ Sullivan, Mickey Engwell, Chris Young, Ross Williams, Dean Mason, Jamie Yates, Ryan Bone, Steve Pollard, and Darren Drake