Dubs 25 - Haslemere 10 (19/01/08)
Having lost their opening season fixture 5 - 15 away, the 1st XV had their revenge with a home victory last Saturday to beat league leaders Haslemere 25 - 10.
We won the toss, with Coops electing to play uphill against the wind in the first half to preserve wind and slope advantage for the last 40.
The game started in a lively fashion and continued in that vein throughout. We scored first with a series of drives to the line followed by Ross feeding blind-side Neil superbly to crash over between 2 would-be tacklers early on. Haslemere, as you would expect from a team that had previously only lost once in the league this season, responded with a similar try from their burly no.8 to take a 7-5 lead.
A prolonged period of sustained pressure on Haslemere's 5-metre line then followed, in which Haslemere constantly infringed and were lucky not to get a player or three binned. Rochester ultimately converted pressure into points with a great Cueto-esque (but this was a try!) score just inside the corner flag. Ross was taking quick taps at every opportunity, allowing us to break the Haslemere line at will and playing the referee who was very hot on being back the full 10.
The score at half-time was 10-10 after Haslemere slotted a penalty.
The second half saw continued Dubs pressure and an increasingly frustrated Haslemere side conceding penalty after penalty as well as a sin-bin. Retaliation to a blatant offence saw captain Coops sin-binned (which will cost him dearly in jugs throughout the season), and we did well to regroup and play a basic game for the next 10, not conceding any score. A further two tries followed as Haslemere tired and the Dubs took advantage of the wind to stay in their half, one from flanker Ash and the last I've forgotten by whom but sure it was great! Roch converted one and slotted a penalty to close out the game at 25 - 10. Overall, the game was characterised by quick play, forwards working hard to secure ball for the backs, who looked comfortable with ball in hand and threatened throughout - a most enjoyable game.
Last but by no means least, thanks are due to the many Old Dubs who turned out on the sideline and were rewarded with a solid win.
Photos were taken and will be posted shortly.
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