An away win the East Cup appeared to be the least likely outcome after Bedford stormed into a 12-0 lead after just 11 minutes to shock the mighty Cents. Careless errors by St Albans early in the tackle count repeatedly gifted possession to the Bedfordshire outfit and only desperate defence kept the score to just two converted tries.
Eventually, the Centurions settled and their irresistible forward play began to pay dividends. On 24 minutes a typically powerful run by Kristian Naylor saw him cross the line, swiftly followed by a superb, long-distance solo effort from Dale Gardner. Alex Powdrell added the conversion. The Tigers bounced back with an elegant try of their own before Cents’ Player/Coach Simba Mupamhanga scored from close in. On the stroke of half-time the unstoppable Josh Lawrence added a fourth try and the Centurions entered the break 20-16 up. The Tigers started the second half as impressively as the first and levelled the scores on 42 minutes. Stung into action, the St Albans’ forwards reacted in style with Naylor smashing over for his second of the day. But in an end-to-end contest, the Tigers refused to lie down and grabbed a converted try of their own after 48 minutes and a further try just 3 minutes later to lead 30-24 with less than 20 minutes left on the clock. Again, the forwards stepped up to the plate. After shrugging off would-be tacklers, Josh Lawrence stretched out an arm for his second try, which Powdrell converted to bring the sides level. With just over 10 minutes to go, Naylor left Bedford defenders trailing in his wake to grab his hat-trick. The conversion gave the Centurions a 6-point lead. With a series of injuries and controversial decisions testing the players to the full, the Tigers threw everything they could at a resolute Centurions defence. With just minutes to go, the home team somehow crossed in the corner to get to within two points but missed the all-important conversion. With seconds to go and Bedford attacking on their last tackle, a huge up-and-under seemed certain to set up a try, only for Powdrell to leap highest of all to grab the ball from the air. One tackle later, the final whistle sounded and the game was won. Speaking after the game, Mupamhanga displayed a mixture of pride and frustration. “The result was the most important thing today and the lads showed incredible character to get back into the game after the slow start and then to keep them out at the end. But with a little more composure that game should have been put to bed a lot earlier. The great thing is, we’re improving every week.” Final score: Bedford Tigers 34 St Albans Centurions 36 The Centurions are away to North Herts Knights on Saturday 1st June, 2.30pm start. Message to the Cents junior players from head coach Gary Tetlow :- "As you will gather from the list below, there is a very busy period ahead, with an already stretched squad and as such new players are always welcome. It’s not too late to come along and join in.
Please put the word out to any other school years 10 and 11 you know. We need more troops ! Training emphasis moves from conditioning and skills to more match based play, so for those who prefer games rather than training this is ideal. This is how the rest of the year looks – I have sent a 'Teamer' invite out for the first 5 events, please respond to 'Teamer' or email me back" Thursday 23rd May - Training, Toulmin Drive @ 630pm Thursday 30th May - Training, Toulmin Drive @ 630pm (HALF TERM) Saturday 1st June - Rutlish Raiders (a) 1030 kick off Thursday 6th June - Training, Toulmin Drive @ 630pm Saturday 8th June - Eastern Rhinos (h) 1030am kick off Sunday 9th June - Friendly 9s festival, details to be advised Thursday 13th June - Training, Toulmin Drive @ 630pm Saturday 15th June - Elmbridge Eagles (a) 1030am kick off Wednesday 20th June - Hemel Stags Blues (a) 700pm kick off Saturday 22nd June - Brentwood Eels (h) 1030am kick off Thursday 27th June - Hemel Stags Gold (a) 700pm kick off Saturday 29th June - Invicta Panthers (h) 1100am kick off Play offs from 6th July Grand Final 20th July If you would like to join , please email Gary at gptetlow@googlemail.com Southend Sharks 38
St Albans Centurions 24 St Albans Centurions gave debuts to Sado, Lee , Gardner and Jasinski who put in impressive perfomances. A much-changed Centurions squad fell to its first defeat of the season despite fighting back to parity after a disastrous opening few minutes. The travel to the Essex coast appeared to have had a detrimental effect as the Saints began sluggishly against the quick-moving Sharks. Converted tries in the second and ninth minute left the Hertfordshire outfit 12-0 down before they’d hardly had chance to draw breath. But under Simba Mupamhanga’s coaching, this side is nothing if not resilient. On 19 minutes, Joe Baker grabbed his customary try, converted by Chad Turley, to get the team on the scoreboard. The impressive Sharks scored again to stretch their lead but tries from the ever-impressive Tom Spratt and the excellent Godson Sado, both converted by Turley, saw the teams go into half-time level at 18-18. The start to the second-half was uncompromising with the teams battling hard for the upper hand. Despite heroic performances from the likes of Baker, Spratt and Niall Braniff – each completing 17 bone-crunching tackles – it was the home team that broke free to score two tries, converting one of them. For the Centurions to have any hope, they had to grab the next try. And with less than 15 minutes to go on the clock they did just that. Mupamhanga crossed the line in style and Turley added his fourth conversion of the match. The momentum was lost, however, when the Sharks managed to cross the line for their sixth try of the match. With the successful conversion the game was already lost before the home team added a seventh against tiring Centurions who had given their all. Both Coach and Manager took heart from this battling defeat. Mupamhanga believed the young lads making their debuts “had genuine raw potential and will quickly improve over the next few weeks”. Tony Bottomley has particular praise for Isaac Lee: “he’s an excellent loose forward who impressed against a very good Sharks team today. The future’s looking bright”. Debuts were made by Maher, Evans, Turley and Beton in an impressive display.
In stark contrast to the slow start they made the previous week, the Centurions flew out of the blocks to blast five tries past a shell-shocked Tigers’ defence in the first 20 minutes. Tom Spratt, who scored in the final minute of the victory against Brentwood Eels, continued where he left off by crashing over for the game’s first try in the seventh minute. Sam Bucknall added a second seven minutes later with Akintayo Adebayo scoring a sumptuous third almost straight from the re-start. The Centurions were unstoppable. Two minutes later, Joe Baker burst through tackle after tackle in a lung-busting run down the left before touching down for a great solo try. Not to be outdone, Joe Shaw smashed over for his first try of the day with less than a quarter of the game gone. Frustratingly, all five conversions were missed. It seemed like an age before a sixth first-half try was added by the impressive Peter Strain. Tom Spratt added the conversion. For the first time this season the Centurions’ line was finally breached when Bedford scored close to the posts in the final minute of the half. The conversion was made and the half-time whistle blew with the score at 26-6. Early in the second-half Kristian Naylor’s powerful performance was rewarded with a try, which Chad Turley converted. To their credit, Bedford refused to crumble. Instead, they responded with simple, effective rugby and registered two converted tries in quick succession. Any thoughts of a comeback at the end of a week of spectacular sporting comebacks, were put to bed by the Centurions’ forwards when, first, Sam Bucknall and then Callum Porter crossed the Tigers’ line following great interplay. With players tiring after their marathon effort, each side managed to add another converted try, with Joe Shaw crossing for his second just before the final whistle. Chad Turley finishing with four conversions to make the final score 50-24. Young debutant Beton was given man of the match after an excellent performance at stand off. Club Chairman, Andy Lake was thrilled by the performance: “The lads were excellent today from the first minute to the last. There’s a positive mood in the camp and a good balance of experience and youth which augurs well for the rest of the season.” The Centurions are away to Southend Sharks on Saturday 18th May, 2.30pm start. The draw has been conducted for the Quarter Finals of the East RL Cup.The games will be played on Saturday 25th May with the winners continuing to the semi finals. The Cents are looking to keep the momentum going into the game with tough tests against Bedford Tigers on may 11th, and Southend Sharks on May 18th.
Only two clubs have won the Cup since its inception back in 2013 but with both of them now competing in the Southern Conference League will we see a new name on the silverware? The Draw: Southend Sharks v Eastern Rhinos North Herts Knights v Hemel Stags A Bedford Tigers A v St Albans Centurions St Ives Roosters v Brentwood Eels The Cents gave debuts to Chapman, Adebayo and Osmond, and welcomed the return of 2017 captain Sam Bucknall who has been living and playing rugby in New Zealand during 2018. Brentwood started the game strongly and were camped in the St Albans half for most of the first twenty minutes, but the experience of Darren Westwood proved a calming influence on the Cents. The Eels were kept scoreless by a strong and resolute Cents defence that repulsed and stifled every Eels attack. The tide began to change in Cents favour in the second quarter, with the first interchanges, when three fresh forward were brought on. Following good work from the forwards, when prop forward Kristian Naylor broke through three tackles and ran 30 metres to touch down for a try. Alex Powdrell added the conversion. The first half finished 6 - 0 in St Albans favour. The second half saw the home team dominate the game with Peter Strain and Josh Lawrence quickly adding further tries. Powerful running from 2019 club captain Callum Porter tired the Eels defence, as well as Joe Shaw making a staggering 17 carries. Strain picked up a dropped ball in his own half out paced the Brentwood defenders to cross the line in the corner.Elusive running from Simba Mupamhanga put Brentwood on the back foot, and Lawrence, always a handful, took the ball from 15 metres out, broke two tackles and took two defenders over the line to score. Both conversions were missed. Unfortunately some Brentwood players lost their composure and after several niggly incidents had a player sent off. In the closing moments of the game it was time for the other prop forward to score his try, when Tom Spratt crashed through several tackles of a tiring defence to score the fourth try for the Centurions. Spratt hit the upright as he tried to convert his own try. The match finished with a final score of 18 - 0 to the home team. Man of the match was Sam Bucknall with nine carries and sixteen tackles. Team manager Tony Bottomley speaking after the game said " It was a good run out as first games of the seasons go, against a very fast and fit opposition. Our defence, especially in the first half, was the key to our victory. If we can maintain this form we can be hopeful of winning some silverware this season". The Centurions next match is another home game, against Bedford Tigers at their Toulmin Drive ground on Saturday 11th May with a 2.30 kick off. Good luck to Brentwood for the rest of the season. |
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