Tring Away

Tring 1st XV vs. Bracknell 1st XV – 23rd October 2010

Report by Super Slave

Bracknell travelled to Tring for their scheduled London and SE National 3 League game with the weather being perfect overcast and rain looking imminent, and which did not arrive.

Tring like Bracknell had not had the greatest of starts to the 2010 season however came out onto the pitch to prove a point to the visitors. Losing the toss Tring had to play downhill and with the breeze at their backs which proved very fruitful and it was within one minute they were awarded a penalty which was duly slotted by their number 14 Ben Selwyn. Another 9 minutes later Tring were awarded another penalty within range and Ben duly converted it again. Bracknell kept the ball within the forwards and drove forward time and again only to be undone by unforced errors of their own making and were driven back into their own half by good tactical kicking from Tring. Bracknell continued to give away unnecessary penalties through ill discipline as well. On the 13th minute another penalty was awarded however was not converted so the score stayed 6 – 0 but some two minutes later the next penalty was given, and converted to take the score to 9 – 0. At this stage the penalty count was around 6 or 8 against 0 which from the side appeared that Bracknell were not heeding the referee’s advice although some decisions were becoming questionable one being “Bracknell 7 yards from the Tring tryline, full frontal attack, referee warns Tring to take their hands off in the tackle and almost immediately after he awards a penalty to them?????” – net result, lineout 5 yards from Bracknell line, throw in, score try by Ben Selwyn and missed conversion. Scorline after 30 minutes 15 – 0 where it remained to the change.

At the start of the 2nd half, Bracknell come out firing, kick off, attack down the right side and after the maul Kenny Barry gets Bracknell on the score board for the first time which Ben Nowak missed the conversion from the side. Bracknell continued to do most of the playing from here and it was around ten minutes into the 2nd half that the referee sent number 8 Tiaan Visser to the bin for ten which was very dubious, the decision that is. A further try (not converted) was scored by Tring in this time however Bracknell can not use poor refereeing decisions as an excuse for all of their infringements or lack of discipline or on the filed “squabbling” amongst themselves and it is here that the captain Jonny Mirza must take control and show who is running the show on match days.

Bracknell continued to attack Tring throughout the remainder of the game, used all their subs and again did most of the playing however the penalty count hurt badly in the final score. Stu Mackay had a touchdown after some good interplaying between forwards and backs around the 60 minute mark which was converted by Ben Nowak. From a supporters point of view, Bracknell won this one for Tring (Brackneel won the point count in the 2nd half 5 – 12) and the game was there for the taking. The final score line 19 – 12. Final penalty count, probably 5 to 25ish?