MAY & BAKER R.U.F.C

Match Report 10th February 07 DEVELOPMENT GAME– 10th February 07

May and Baker 12 .v. 17 Romford & Gidea Park

This Season, when the first XV and the second XV both have not got a game, the match slot will be filled with development games. These games are meant to be a mixture of a few old heads and the clubs young guns. The idea behind the game is to see how the youth is progressing and how close they are to playing first team rugby, as they are sure to be the future of the club. Sadly, these games have been a flop so far and with tough opposition every time Baker’s struggle to get 15.

Last Saturday was the fourth May and Baker Development game it was against Romford & Gidea Park Romford were a strong side, with some big impact players.

With hardly any first team players making the effort to put their boots on it was left to a mostly second team to field a team, Baker’s managed just 16 players. The match was a game of two halves. The first half belonged to Romford, in this tightly contested midfield battle. May and Baker played well defensively, people were putting big hits in and covering tackles to stop any chance of a Romford break away. After silly penalties were given away Romford finally broke the dead lock with a try just after 20 minutes from a well worked lineout move. The extra two were added. The B’s head’s dropped a little after they leaked this try and before the lads had a chance they were back underneath their posts as a breakaway from the Romford full back resulted in an unconverted try for the visitors. Romford added their final try just before the half time whistle from another well worked set play. This time they failed to convert. Credit must go to the Baker’s pack who held their own against the bigger pack. Little breaks from Darren Robinson & Mickey Ingwell were the only highlights for B’s in this physical midfield battle.

Dave O’Sullivan gave an inspiring half time team talk and Baker’s started the second half strong. The boy’s seemed to dominate the midfield battle as they recycled ball well and they slowly inched their ways up the field phase by phase. As May and Baker nudged closer and closer, an out of position Andy Yarrow came and joined in at the back of a ruck, he picked up and found a gap to score a good team try. Credit to the May and Baker pack who done the hard work for Yarrow to finish, Mickey Ingwell converted.

Spirit was high now and Baker’s begin to generate quick ball that was helping as Romford began to feel the pressure. Little breaks from James Lock and Garry Williams in the centre’s was signs that the backs should of seen more of the ball, but sadly the ball rarely left the forwards. As half hour in the second approached Baker’s found themselves in a good position and Andy Yarrow took full control as he again came from playing out of position to take control at the breakdown, and again he found a hole in the defence to score his second of the game and his third try in three weeks. (Don’t worry Yarrow won’t be on the wing every week!) The conversion from Ingwell shaved the post.

Romford new they were in trouble and began a courageous battle to hold on to their league. Good work in the tackle from Darren Robinson and Andy Yarrow stopped Romford’s number 8 adding to Romford & Gidea’s lead. Romford’s 42 year old number 8 shone all day for the visitors. As the game entered the final few minutes Alan Johnson had a little break, supported by Steve Pollard that Baker’s failed to recycle, if they would have got quick ball maybe the score line would have been different. Romford and Gidea Park sounded relieved to hear the final whistle. Massive performance from the pack in the game, they done extraordinary against the bigger pack. Darren Robinson did well against his old club, and Chris Young’s tackling was missed in the centre as he has now had an operation on his shoulder that will keep him out until the new season.

May and Baker’s young players have showed real potential for the future in these development games, if we could get a full development side instead of a bare 15 I think results and performances would have been very interesting. Definitely a few names will be changing from 1st team to 2nd team and equally as much the opposite direction as a result of some fresh talent being shown. Next week the 1st team entertain Old Brentwood’s in the league and the 2nd team host Brentwood in a friendly. I hope to see you thee supporting either team. As always a big thanks to the supporters.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Andy Yarrow

SQUAD: Alan Johnson, Darren Robinson, Burak Erceri, Harry Lisborn, Phil ( new boy, don’t know your last name sorry), Danny Brown, Danny Green, Michael Donaghue, Dave O’Sullivan, Dean Foran, Mickey Ingwell, Andy Yarrow, James Lock, Gary Williams, James Lloyd, Jamie Yates, and Steve Pollard.

Match Report MERIT TABLE – 6th January 07 May and Baker 0 .v. 20 Basildon

Last Saturday May and Baker returned to league action after some impress performances in the past few weeks in friendly games. With the new laws now in place everyone playing on the day was learning a little bit. Basildon was the visitors in the appalling weather conditions.

Before the game skipper Jamie Yates had a long warm up and a big chat about the game plan. Basildon were a side full of forwards (I think they had a centre who weighed more than our whole pack!!!) the plan was to make them run; as they were big they would tire quicker than the young looking Baker’s side. For twenty five minutes the plan was working impeccably, Basildon were not leaving there half of the pitch and B’s were forcing them all over the place, and as Basildon tired Baker’s were young and fit enough to get to break downs first and even hold their own at scrum time. The major factor was that May and Baker were in position to score but just could not finish! Huw Protheroe made a good break which resulted in a penalty, Jamie Yates hit the post with an unlucky kick in heavy wind, the day might have been different if the wind had carried the kick over.

After this spell of dominating pressure Basildon’s big number 8 broke a tackle and released one of his backs, who despite B’s winger Ben Seth’s best efforts, managed to score an unconverted try in the corner. After this try Baker’s seemed to be a bit taken back by it all and Basildon hit another three tries in quick succession to give them a twenty point advantage. Shortly after the 4th try the half time whistle was blown.

Jamie Yates gave an impressive team talk and May and Baker’s seemed hungry for points again! Baker’s flanker Danny Green was not around last Saturday and Steve Pollard gave a man of the match performance playing out of position at flanker. Pollard secured some turn over ball after a massive tackle on the number 8, and back row partners Doug Murray and Andy Yarrow broke away for B’s, as they reached ten metres short of the Basildon line lack of support meant Basildon could clear their lines. Shortly after Danny Brown and Burak Erceri went on solo runs with nothing coming of it, and Rob Pattern broke away and missed Baker’s best chance of scoring when he took contact and missed the three man overlap to his left. With four try’s needed in five minutes Baker’s still didn’t drop their heads Chris Young put a ferocious tackle in that stopped play until Basildon’s scrum half was carried from the pitch in agony. May and Baker failed to break the duck on the score sheet and for the third week out of 4 B’s failed to score!

May and Baker had a few players missing threw injury and other commitments, but credit must be shown to the lads over the last few weeks. The young guns in the side are starting to develop nicely, and throughout the game the team showed the potential which has been there all season. After Basildon scored once, the heads dropped, and 3 fast try’s after that they sealed victory. But May and Baker owned the game, forwards were mobile, backs were running moves, everything was flowing. The back row have played excellently recently. The one problem still remains why we can not cross the line? Basildon are 2nd in our league and playing how we did there is no reason why we should not have been in that top 4, instead we must now concentrate our efforts on winning two out of the last three games to avoid the drop. Two of our games remaining are against two of the top 3 in the league but as I said there is NO reason why we can’t beat both of them as the top 4 is where Baker’s belong and after a disappointing season, next year we will get back on track!!!

As always I would like to say a big thanks to the people who came and supported the side even in this weather, we would all rather be in Spain or somewhere rather than Costa Del Dagenham. Next week the young Baker’s player have a chance to make a name for themselves as May and Baker put out a development team at home to Ilford Wanderers. I hope to see you there!!!

MAN OF THE MATCH: Steve Pollard

SQUAD: Burak Erceri, Andrew Schmitt, Dick Williams, Rob Pattern, Danny Brown, Steve Pollard, Andy Yarrow, Doug Murray, Martin Lee, Jamie Yates, Huw Protheroe, Chris Young, Ben Seth, James Lloyd, Paul Day, Darren Noakes, and Dean Foran.