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LATEST NEWS

8th February – Harwich


Result: Harwich 78 Aldeburgh 5


A brave effort


After a long winter break, Aldeburgh continue to struggle to field a team. Great credit is due to the determination of the coach and captain and the commitment of a hard core of players to make this fixture happen. It was always going to be a tough one.


Harwich, in the spirit of the Game On principles, lent Aldeburgh a full front row plus one other to complement the numbers we had taken. Players entered into the spirit of it by playing out of position as required. A half back pairing of Jon Hunt and Adam Hateley would not have been predicted at the start of the season. Both stuck at it to produce solid performances.


It became obvious within the first couple of minutes that this was going to be a long afternoon. Aldeburgh’s scrum just about held for Jon to get out a pass to Adam who, from inside his own half, launched a clearing kick downfield. The Harwich full back caught the ball cleanly then weaved his way through the whole Aldeburgh team to touch down. Their fly half, who looked like a prop, kicked the conversion as he did the following seven from all angles. He could run and pass too.


Despite having a scratch team, Aldeburgh managed to play some sensible rugby, moving the ball around and gaining territory. However, when they lost it, Harwich ran back from their own half with quick passing and powerful running to score.


Another attack by Harwich was stopped by a trade mark tackle by full back Ollie Taylor. An ex-rugby league player, his tackling is ferociously hard. Nevertheless, Harwich kept on scoring. After half an hour with the score at 28-0, captain Freddie Burgess had to leave the field after taking a painful blow in the back.


Harwich’s scrum half varied their attack by audaciously sending out a kick pass to his unmarked winger in his own half. The winger had the space to clear the covering defence to score.


Before half time there was an incident when Ollie Taylor made another powerful tackle which resulted in the Harwich player landing heavily to which many of his colleagues objected forcefully. The referee decided that, although the tackle was perfectly fair, Ollie had lost control of the player while he was in the air so awarded a penalty. Hard to see what else Ollie could have done but it was a fair decision. His tackle had been on the try line. Harwich tapped the penalty, took two passes and scored in the corner.


A half time score of 42-0 was ominous. Because of various injuries, Harwich opted not to provide a replacement to even up the numbers so played most of the second half with an extra man. In the light of that, the final result was a credit to the determination of the Aldeburgh team (and their Harwich loanees) to keep battling.


The Harwich scrum half displayed the variety of his talents for the first two tries of the second half. Collecting the ball behind an attacking ruck, he considered his options then fired out a long pass which was moved on the winger in space who scored. For the next try, he jinked through the middle himself.


Ryan Ellis had to leave the field with a shoulder injury causing even more disruption. Despite that, Aldeburgh continued to compete.


The highlight of the match from Aldeburgh’s point of view came in the last couple of minutes. Jon Hunt found touch with a penalty (as he had reliably done all afternoon). A safe move because Josh Darling (second row, jumping at two in the line) had been winning line out ball cleanly. On this occasion, Josh caught the ball, turned and ran straight through the Harwich line, brushed off a tackle and touched down. There were several cries of ‘Last try wins’.


The guys who played had clearly enjoyed getting out and having a game of rugby. The team avoided having five points deducted for not fulfilling a fixture. Credit to all for making it happen.

16th November – Queen's Field


Result: Aldeburgh 17 Mistley 22


Close match with a nail-biting finish


A big crowd saw a close fought match which ended with Aldeburgh camping on Mistley’s line, desperately trying to get the try and conversion needed for a win. Mistley held out to their delight and Aldeburgh’s frustration.


A further influx of players saw Aldeburgh field a full squad. Mistley brought with them their position at the top of the table, some big forwards and what turned out to be a useful set of backs. After early exchanges, Mistley kicked a penalty, given for not releasing, from outside the 22. Soon after, Aldeburgh tried to return the compliment but missed the first time. A second opportunity, from further out, was put through the posts by fly half, Ed Robson, to bring the scores level.


As the half progressed, Aldeburgh began to impose themselves. A sweeping move appeared to have led to a try but the winger’s foot was in touch. Soon after the forwards took up the charge with Charlie Blakeley (recently persuaded to play again) going over for the try. Ed converted.


Charlie continued to make his bulldozing runs from No 8 without support players being able to link up effectively with him to keep the ball moving. But Mistley were too good to be dominated for long. As well as fronting up in the forwards, their backs began to click, eventually rounding off a splendid move with a try by the right wing. The conversion was missed leaving Aldeburgh with a narrow lead at 10-8.


On the stroke of half time, Aldeburgh were again pressing. Ed threw out a long pass to create space for Adam Hateley on the wing. Adam ran strongly as ever but was tackled just short of the line. From the ruck, the ball came out to Jon Hunt in the centre (are there any positions this man doesn’t play?) He was static when he received the ball, shook off a tackler, ran straight, barged away another potential tackler and scored under the posts. Ed converted for a 17-8 half time lead. It was looking promising.


However, within a few minutes of the restart, the Mistley forwards rumbled over from a tap penalty after a period of pressure. A high tackle gave Mistley the chance of another penalty which hit the post. After only 12 minutes of the second half, Mistley’s fly half, who had an outstanding game, scored the try of the match. He picked up a clearance kick and jinked his way past several would be tacklers to score a sparkling try. The conversion again hit the post but this time it went over.


The Mistley fly half and his inside centre led the way in the second half, controlling much of the game. Neither side could get a decisive advantage. Towards the end, Aldeburgh began to get on top, pressing hard to Mistley’s line. The final move of the game saw Aldeburgh’s full back bundled into touch as he was going for the line.


Neither side gained a bonus point for tries but Aldeburgh did get one for scoring fewer than seven points less than Mistley. Great entertainment for the spectators, a competitive match for the players. Mistley continue their dominance of the league. Aldeburgh can be heartened by seeing so many new, keen players joining.

9th November – Woodbridge


Result: Woodbridge 41 Aldeburgh 29


Lessons Learnt


Lessons learnt this week, a hard day at the office, with one player down for a third of the match Aldeburgh still threatened to pull it back right up until the closing plays of the game. Player of the match this week is Adam Hately who started at 13 and switched to 15 during injury, had safe hands throughout and never missed a tackle, our dick of the day is Luke Hatherley; whilst being our last line of defence, hearing our players shout “pass the ball” he passed the ball forwards.


We must add that Freddie Burgess had a tremendous game.


A good match, well played by both sides and in good spirit we look forward to the rematch at queens field.

© 2022 Aldeburgh Rugby Club

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