Luton 0 FULLERIANS 1st XV 19

London 1 North League

This game wasn’t for the faint of heart as there were casualties everywhere but from the weather not playing rugby. Fullers started into the wind and rain and started very well indeed using the conditions intelligently. Picking and driving into the wind and with good ball retention worked their way up the pitch.

Fullers got into good field position but just couldn’t convert the pressure into points as the slippery conditions made it very difficult. Wing James Maher made an excellent break and ran up the right touchline but got tackled right at the end. Prop Alex Maclean crashed over but the ball was knocked on. It took right until the last play of the half when Fullers scored as the gaps eventually speared in the Luton defence. Centre Myles Toon grubber kicked through and wing Curtis Woodham scooped the ball up and slid over for a deserved try.

After warming up during half time inside Fullers had the wind behind them. Luton kicked off but the ball didn’t go 10 and the resultant scrum saw Fullers kick up field to get good field position. Fullers were awarded a penalty for a high tackle but the kick went wide. Another almost immediately saw the ball also go wide in the difficult conditions.

Fullers had their first lineout of the match in the Luton 22 and caught and drove up field. The ball was shipped wide and wing James Maher used his strength to crash over for a try. Dan Evans converted for 0-12 lead.

Luton did march up field but Fullers defence held firm and denied them any score. They we able to clear their lines with the wind almost reaching monsoon levels. Fullers building in confidence went through phases of play and kept the ball remarkably in the conditions. The ball was shipped from wing to wing to keep the play alive. They were held up over the line and were awarded a scrum on the 5 metre line. Fullers scrum dominant for most of the match went for the pushover but Luton tried to illegally wheel. The referee had none of it and awarded Fullers a deserved penalty try.

Fullers sensed a bonus point win in the dying minutes but time just ran out and indeed scrum half Harrison Wells had enough and kicked out to end the game making sure no one else disappeared with hypothermia.

“We started very well in what was some of the worst conditions seen for some time. We held onto the ball very well and went through the phases. We kicked intelligently and put Luton under pressure and forced the error. We deserved our win and go into the Christmas break and come back in January with all to play for.” commented Fullerians Head Coach Rich Hoskins.

Team. MacDougall, N. Mann, Maclean, Boyd, Kerr, Scully, Harvey, Finnegan (D. Toon 45), Wells, D. Evans, Maher, M. Toon, Smith, Woodham (Dollard 40), Mann.

Man of the Match: George Harvey