FULLERIANS 1st XV 27 Ruislip 15

London 1 North

Fullers have shown great heart and spirit this second half of the season and this game didn’t disappoint. There were changes from the week before but this didn’t deter this young Fullers team who keep digging deep to keep their league status.

The home side immediately went ahead with a Dan Evans penalty but this was nullified as Ruislip also slotted a penalty. Fullers went ahead with a penalty try as the scrum began to turn the screw against their opponents.

Ruislip also responded with a well worked try as they pulled the Fullers defence and scored out wide for a 10-8 score.
Fullers responded again as from a wheeling scrum No8 Simon Lye picked up and fed to scrum half Ben Matchett who was able to execute a lovely two on one to put wing Liam Mann in the corner. Captain Dan Evans converting brilliantly from the corner.

In the second half and the score at 17-8 it was all Ruislip who took complete control of the match. They had chances but the last pass went wide or forward and they failed to convert. They did however score with another well worked try to make it 17-15 with 10 minutes remaining.

Fullers kicked off and immediately put their visitors under pressure and pinned them in the 22. Fullers were awarded a penalty and they kicked for the corner. They caught and drove from the line out but went down agonisingly short of the line. However, scrum half matchett used great footwork to escape the covering defence to score. The conversion went wide.

From the restart hooker Kristian Williams gathered the ball and used his strength to take on the Ruislip defence. The ball was kept alive with lovely off loads throughout the team with the last pass being an absolute corker from flankers Dom Toon to Jack Longbottom who scored for the all-important bonus point win.

“WE played well in the first half and converted our opportunities. Ruislip came back into the match in the second half but we responded brilliantly with a mad final 10 minutes to take the bonus point win.” commented Fullerians head coach Rich Hoskins.

Team. Barson (Macgregor-Smith 50), Williams, Bushell, Kerr, D. Toon, Harvey, Longbottom, Lye, Matchett, Jacobs, Woodham, Dollard, Evans, Mann, Laurenson. Alexander.

Man of the Match: Dollard