Haslemere Strong Against the Top of the League

In consecutive games Haslemere’s fixtures have been against the league leaders, then the second placed, and this week it was against the third placed Haileyburians. The form book would have declared an easy victory for Haileyburians but Haslemere had other ideas, and so could easily have pulled off an upset win based on a merited performance.

The Old Haileyburians were direct from the start of the game as they gave the ball to their key runners who burst through some loose tackles to score to the left of the posts within the first 3 minutes of the game, 0-7.

Haslemere won a couple of penalties that allowed them to take a line out in the Haileyburians 22 that no8 Damian Kellerman caught to set up the forwards, with prop Zorro Hawkes driving for the line only to be held up. The referee then awarded a penalty as Haileyburians strayed offside, but fly half James Clarke scuffed the kick in difficult boggy conditions. Fortunately Haslemere managed to fight their way back into the Haileyburians 22 and again flanker Sam Powell set up the ball 5 meters out for James Clarke to try and power over, but he was kept out until a flat pass from scrum half Neil Moseley saw Dan Green burst through to score and convert, 7-7.

The line outs were difficult to secure with the muddy ball, but Haslemere were getting more dominant as the game progressed in the scrums as veteran campaigner Alan Kiley exerted his technique supported in the engine room by second rowers Dave Head and Nathan Scott. While out in the lose hooker Harry Burt was tackling everything that came his way.

Despite the strong first half performance the Old Haileyburians managed to score again to give themselves the lead 7-14.

The second half saw an early chance for Haslemere as full back JP McCumisky got the ball from a scrum in the middle of the park, and he ran down the blind channel stepping the winger then too quick for the covering fly half, and then he chipped the full back only to narrowly avoid scoring in the corner.

The Haslemere forwards shrugged off the niggling of their opposition counter parts and focused on their rugby exemplified by a 25 meter rolling forward drive from a line out that took them deep into Haileyburian territory. Scrum half Shane Vickery then passed to Clarke who surged through the opposition tacklers to score under the posts, and Haslemere were right back in the game, 14-14.

Haslemere were now starting to exert themselves on the game and Haileyburians were under pressure. More good work from the forwards from a rolling ruck allowed the backs to run deep into the opposition 22 and threaten their line, but in the tackle the Haileyburians managed to kick the ball up the field and a foot race from another kick ahead was even until JP McCumisky managed to touch the ball down over his line. The referee adjudged the shoulder to shoulder as an infringement and winger Damian Cumber was sent to the bin with 25 minutes to play, and to top it of, a penalty try was award to Haileyburians, 14-21.

Haslemere managed to keep a clean sheet when down to 14 players, but Haileyburians had the last word with another try under the posts that they failed to convert, 14-26.

Haslemere’s next game is away to fourth placed Woking, then a home game on the 21st March against Old Oundelians. Training continues every Wednesday at 7:15 up at Woolmer Hill sports ground GU27 1QA under Coach John Hatcher, 07709 187514.