Match Reports

24/01/10 - League match Vs Sutton & Epsom Away -
CHIPSTEAD 27 - S&E 0

Well done to the entire squad for our team victory against Sutton & Epsom in our league encounter (24/01/10).

Final score Chipstead 27 S&E 0 - This was a big important fixture for us both as a team and in relation to league placing so far in the Surrey league table. This victory secured both further points for our win but also a further bonus point for the number of tries scored, not to mention no points scored against us!

So far in our league, 3 games, three wins and three additional bonus points accrued!
Although not everyone actually got onto the pitch, the entire squad presence led to a first class display of rugby across the park supported by the whole squad and supporters to result in a well deserved VICTORY! 

Well done to one and all – a proper squad effort!! PB

(Full match report to follow)

Well done again to everyone present at last weeks VICTORY against S&E - more of the same please ! - Below is a copy of THEIR  (S&E) write up on the game (not often seen by the opposition!) As we know, the final score was 27 - 0 !! You will see from their write up that they have the score wrong - but eaither way our victory!!!!!!!!!!
This win leaves us joint top of our league with Chobham - well done all - onwards and up!!
Pete B

Extract from S&E match report ........
Dear all,
It is with disappointment that I must report our first loss of the season. In the end we were well beaten but the score line does not tell the whole story.
The first thing I will say is that Chipstead seemed enormous. Their number 8 was taller than Tall Paul, had shoulders bigger than Bruce, legs bigger than Dave and could grow a goatee quicker than Welsh Paul. I would say that the Chipstead team was, on average, 3 inches taller than us. This is the reality of 1st team rugby.
They weren’t just big. Their open side flanker was great. Cleverly off side almost always, quick, powerful and with fantastic balance. Their centres were strong and quick and ran superb lines when given space. They weren’t just a team of 3 or 4 but were pretty sound all round.
We set the team up to counter what we thought would be their bigger threat. Adam played open side, Arthur went in to hook and Josh moved into the engine room. In fairness, the tactics worked up to a point. For 15 minutes there was nothing in it. We contained them well for this period and looked to be out rucking and surprisingly, out scrummaging them. Then, unfortunately, we were penalised by the ref for an infringement at the scrum. The ensuing penalty allowed one of their athletic forwards to surge through our pack and score for an unconverted try.
This is where I started pulling out Matt’s remaining hair. I would have pulled my own out but years of watching our boys playing have left me hair free. Matt began the game looking like Leo Sayer but does not any more. The reason for my reaction is that we barley laid hands on their try scorer despite the fact that he ran straight at us. This demonstrates one of three possibilities. We lack the courage to make a tackle, we lost concentration or he was covered in engine oil. Since we are not cowards and he did not leave a slick I have to assume that we simply switched off for a second. Not good enough in any event.
Chipstead were then gifted the ball from the kick off and virtually immediately scored again. It was a similar story for their third try. Neither was converted. . They had, however, started playing with the confidence a 3 try margin can give you
Thus we were 15-0 down and the changes were rung at half time. Connor, Jamie, Angus Elliot and Dan came on. We spent a good spell in their half and camped on their line at the beginning of the half but our efforts went unrewarded. We held off constant pressure and lack of possession and with ball in hand, started to show a little of our ability to play with rhythm. It proved difficult to break their lines though and we found ourselves having to kick the ball away too often. Chipstead’s final score came from their ever present open side flanker who managed to brush off the attentions of two or three of us to score their only try of the half, again unconverted.
So a fairly heavy defeat for us. Chipstead were good for the win and I will be surprised if they slip up against anybody in this league. If I am being honest with myself, we lacked a little physicality and power when needed. We were also a little naïve at times. However, if you can’t out muscle or out run the opposition then you need at least to out think them and we failed to do that on the day. We should not be kicking the ball down the throat of their best player once, let alone repeatedly. We should not argue pointlessly with a ref, conceding hard won yards. We should not play for line out ball when the opposition could all play semi professional basketball and we haven’t won a lineout all day.
On the positive side we did, at least to some degree, negate their expected danger men. They did not break our lines from second phase and most of us made our tackles. Our rucking was sound and scrums looked solid, particularly first half.
Big performances were produced yet again by Michael Harvey who would at least have an MBE if I was in charge. Bradley played fantastically well defensively, making some heroic cover tackles and man of the match Adam ran his heart out all day.
......Extract from S&E match report