FULLERIANS 1st XV 29 HAC 40

London 1 North

Fullerians played newly promoted HAC who lie sixth in the league after seven games. It was the visitors who stared the brighter and score with a well worked back line move.
Fullerians responded with a penalty by fly half Luke Jacobs as HAC didn’t roll away at the ruck.

HAC caught Fullers napping at the restart and immediately scored again as they ran threw to score unopposed. Fullers knuckled down and went through the phases, some could argue too much in their own half, but eventually got into the opposition half. A catch and drive from the line out saw second row Liam Boyd crash over for his first try of the match.

Fullers started to dominate the set piece and started to grow confidence and we started to see glimpses of what they can do as the back line started to gel with good strong running by centres Charlie Dollard and Liam Mann.

In the second half with the score at 10-22 Fullers had a chance and this time kicked for the corner after HAC were once again penalised at the ruck. From the resultant line out Liam Boyd crashed over for his second try of the match to close the score at 15-22.

However a loss of concentration for about 15 minutes saw HAC race away and score quick tries to lead home side by 15-40. This young Fullers side dug deep and then produced some lovely rugby and scored a great try out wide courtesy of wing Andrew Alexander.

Three tries and looking for that all important fourth they were rewarded for their efforts with a penalty try as the dominant scrum pushed the visitors over and were going to score only for HAC to try and wheel but the referee had none of it and the 7 points to Fullers.

“It is amazing in sport how you can be poles apart where you play badly and then produce some great flowing rugby. Getting the bonus point for the four tries is great but we gifted HAC at least two tries and that could have won us the game. We just need to keep our self-belief and concentration for the whole 80 minutes.” commented Fullerians head coach Rich Hoskins.

Team. McDougall (Bass 55), Williams, MacGregor-Smith, Boyd, Kerr, Longbottom (Molloy 55), Barrett, Harvey, Matchett (Harrison 55), Jacobs (Matchett 65), Laurenson, Dollard, Mann, Alexander, Evans

Man of the Match: Liam Mann