Close Game Ends in Defeat

Fullerians failed to get their third league win in a close fought match with Hammersmith and Fulham. Fullers got off to a slow start, only managing to get 15 players on the field when the first scrum was called!
Shortly after Hammersmith scored the first try of the game in the left hand corner, following a number of powerful runs through the forwards. The try was converted with a magnificent kick from the touchline, and Hammersmith were 7-0 up.
Fullers started to apply pressure, and Hammersmith were giving away a lot of penalties at the scrum, lineout and ruck for encroaching. Fullers remained in their 22 for 7 minutes, but could not quite get over the try line, and eventually knocked on to allow Hammersmith to relieve the pressure. Two minutes later they were at the Fullers try line, following a break from their winger, and they eventually went over under the posts to lead 14-0.
Fullers went on the attack again, and when the ball was spun wide Fin manged to squeeze over near enough to the posts for Eamon to score the conversion, to make it 14-7 at the break.
Hammersmith were better organised at the break down, and managed to start the second half turning over the ball a number of times as Fullers players ran into contact without the necessary support. This and a number of uncharacteristic knock-ons led to a third Hammersmith try, this time unconverted. Hammersmith thought that they were on for the bonus point try, but Fullers fought back and came close on a number of occasions, failing to make the final pass to put away the wingers. Eventually Josh Dawood ran on to a kick through from Jamie to race away and score, just too wide for Eamon to score the conversion.
The last ten minutes saw both teams try to take the upper hand, and both teams came close chasing kicks through, Josh just failing to take the ball on the bounce for what would have been his second try.
Fullers were disappointed to only take a losing bonus point from the game, but this was a consolation in a game where they appeared to lack energy from the start, and allowed Hammersmith t to build up an early lead which they could not quite claw back.
The positives are that they did create chances, and with two league games left have the opportunity to put this win behind them before the end of the season. And they managed to live with one of the better teams in the league without being at their best.