Crowborough RFC VS Bromley RFC

NOT SO GLORIOUS MUD FOR BROMLEY

For the last league game of the season, Bromley travelled to Crowborough to play a fixture that was cancelled earlier in the year. They were accompanied on the coach by another Bromley XV who were taking on their second team. They took a pretty strong side with only three or four missing from selection and captain George Scott making the bench after several weeks out. For Bromley, there was nothing really to play for as they were secure in second place but Crowborough had all to play for in their fight to avoid relegation. They had been on a fine run of form leading into this game but needed a result. The two games had been in danger of being cancelled due to heavy rain in the area leaving parts of both pitches waterlogged but a few hours before kick off they were declared playable much to the relief of both clubs and their supporters.

The first twenty minutes of the first team game will not live long in the memory as it was basically an arm wrestle in the mud interspersed with lots of kicking. Crowborough had the better of the territory and possession and were keen to get their big forwards running onto the ball and making the hard yards. Bromley seemed content to soak up the pressure and kick for territory not particularly successful as the opposition back three gobbled up the ball and generally returned it with interest. After the midpoint of the half Bromley were pinged for not releasing the ball in the tackle and it was well kicked in difficult conditions to give the home side a slender lead. The mud wrestling continued for a further ten minutes and then Bromley began to stir themselves and number eight Ben Smith made a strong burst down the blind side releasing Godden who had a support player with him but with the try line in sight the greasy ball slipped from his grasp and the chance sank into the mire.

With half time approaching Crowborough intensified their efforts and battered their way into the Bromley twenty two and laid siege to the try line and after numerous attempts, they got over the brown/whitewash for the try scored by Main and with the conversion Crowborough established a well deserved 10-0 lead going into halftime. If Bromley were to get anything out of this game they were going to have to show a lot more than they offered in the first half.

Obviously, words were said at the interval and Bromley started strongly and had Crowborough on the back foot for the first time in the contest but they defended robustly. However, a slick move on forty eight minutes resulted in a try for the away side but the kickable conversion was missed but the gap had been closed to five points. The home side now came again and Bromley coughed up a try through having a kick charged down and Cinch for the home side kicked the loose ball through for the score which was converted and Bromley having just got themselves into the game were twelve points behind. However, they showed character and produced another excellent move involving great support play to engineer Hawkins into space and he was over for another unconverted try and it was 17-10 to the home side. Game on time. Bromley now really began to show their teeth and gave the home side’s defences a real examination but to their credit, they put body and soul on the line and held out. The games probable defining moment came when that man Cinch again made a wondrous tackle to stop a certain Bromley try.

This inspired Crowborough to get back on the attack and Bromley now shot themselves in the other foot by having another clearance kick charged down and similar to the previous one this was kicked ahead, scored and converted. With only a few minutes to go this was game over and the match ended as it had started with lots of arm wrestling and another penalty kicked by the home side leaving the final score at 27-10 to them. This looks like a reasonably comfortable win for Crowborough but Bromley fought valiantly and but for two charge downs and a great tackle the outcome may have been different. Congratulations to Crowborough who have come on a long way in the last couple of months and on the day did themselves and their club proud with a really gutsy and committed performance. They seem certain to escape relegation but there is still no clarity about promotion and relegation at the moment just speculation. As for Bromley, they can be very proud of their achievements this season. To finish second in this league after promotion last season is outstanding and the players and coaches quite rightly take the plaudits.

In the other game, Bromley restored club pride with a hard fought 27- win and with the two teams and some supporters on the coach back one can only imagine that it was not a quiet trip or evening. This coming Saturday Bromley are supposed to be playing in the Papa Johns lastminute.com cup competition but as of writing this report, Monday, there is no clarity on who they will be playing or where. On a brighter note Bromley’s second team now know who they will be playing in the Kent Shield semi final. Park House twos defeated Thanet Wanderers twos in the quarter final on Saturday setting up an intriguing Barnet Wood Road derby clash. This will be eagerly anticipated by both clubs and I am sure it will be a real occasion whenever it is played. Any other games this coming Saturday will be posted later in the week.