Tunbridge Wells 1XV 27 v 27 Chobham 1XV
Wells were hoping that with Micky Sedgwick, Skipper James Gwinnett, Chris Veall, Jo Williams, Luke Giles, Stuart Morten and JonMcMahon added to the squad from the week before’s game against Chichester that the ground would be perfect for running but someone else had other ideas and the game was played in increasingly heavy rain.
This did not seem to bother the Wells in the first few minutes as there was only time for the kick off and an initial skirmish before Dane Hurley seized on loose ball on the half way line and left the opposition in his wake to score untouched between the posts with Luke Giles adding the conversion 7-0. on 2 minutes.
With Mick Sedgwick and Richard Sparks together with Tom Pithouse and James Gwinnett giving more stability in the tight Wells knew they would get more ball but still seemed to give away too many penalties. The first of these was gratefully converted after 7 minutes by the leagues top kicker Smith 7-3.
Wells began to test the Chobham backs with both Luke Giles and Sitiveni Turagaiviu trying to work the ball wide to Ollie Rogers and Stuart Morten on the wings but the conditions were getting increasingly difficult.
After one such attempt the ball was left loose on the left flank and considerable winger Ligairi-Badham went in for the try in the left hand corner but Smith could not convert 7-8.
Wells at this stage could not use the strong SW breeze towards the clubhouse and too often found themselves on the end of the Chobham rolling maul. From one such move in the left hand corner again the Chobham hooker Brown was just given the benefit of the doubt for the touch down on the line after much deliberation. 7-13 after 25 minutes.
Wells then put together one of the best quarters of Rugby they have played this season forcing Chobham onto the back foot with the Wells back row and threequarters showing some great handling skills to entertain the club sponsors on the balcony.Luke Giles narrowed the gap from 40 metres with a penalty on 32 mins 10-13 and then with more ball started to attack the visitors back line. On 36 minutes the fly half showed why he has forced his way into the Bath University first squad when he made a lightning break some 45 metres out shimmied through a gap opened up by Tiuragaiviu and went in under the posts and converted his own try to give Wells a 20-13 lead at halftime.
With the wind and rain in their faces in the second half Coach Paul Hathaway asked the team to be very careful about their kicking game in order to avoid being pinned in their own half. However, it was Chobham who came out the stronger realizing a loss in Kent could put them in the relegation danger zone along with Wells. During the early part of the second half Wells could not keep on their feet and were penalized on 42 minutes when Smith kicked his second penalty with the wind 20-16.
With the elements in their favour Chobham then pinned the home team in the right hand corner of their 22. Wells ably defended and suffered a huge blow when they felt they had kept a Chobham maul well off the floor over the line. The try was awarded but far enough out to prevent the conversion 20-21 on 50 minutes. At this stage heads could have gone down but this was not the case, despite conceding a further penalty on 55 minutes to Smith 20-24 Wells really started to up their game with centres and wingers really taking the game to Chobham based on good quality ball secured by James Gwinnett from Mark Higgins throw -ins at the line out. Luke Giles taking quick ball 40 meters out carved an arc towards the inside centre shimmied and went through the gap to score under the posts again and convert his second try for a personal haul of 22 points and the Man of the Match nomination 27-24. 68 mins.
There then followed a very nervous 16 minutes whilst Wells attempted to hang onto the lead and the 2 points. New boy Jo Williams showed some real pace in one or two runs as he subbed Nick Doherty, and supported the pacy Hurley.
Sadly in the last move of the match someone, caught up with the huge importance of the game handled in the ruck and Smith’s penalty just crept over the bar.27-27.on 84 minutes.
There was still time for Wells to get into the Chobham 22 before the final whistle but sadly no time to use the position to nudge ahead again.
A great game if you had no allegiance, a harrowing one if you did, but all sorts of reasons for Wells to be optimistic about their league survival on this showing as they move to their away fixture vs Aylesford KO 3 00pm this weekend.
