South West One

South West One
Weston Super Mare19 v Bracknell 15
by Henry La

Match photos at http://www.solidphotos.com/main.php?g2_itemId=16721

While Clifton and Redingensians powered on at the top of the table, there was no last minute reprieve for Bracknell following another visit to the hostile West of England where you are guaranteed player passion and one-eyed supporting.

The Lilly Hill team received both of these in buckets and certainly could learn from both the passion and leadership shown by the mostly less talented but certainly more focused Weston Super Mare players. This 19-15 defeat may not have ended Bracknell’s promotion ambitions but has certainly made it a lot harder.

A question asked after the game by Bracknell’s faithful supporters who endured the 2-hour 120-mile journey is, what is the problem with Bracknell?

Last week Player/Coach Chris Sheasby was unable to pin point his team’s failure to blast Oxford Harlequins out of the Cup. They can play like a National League team but these periods are too infrequent during the game and for the rest they rely on their indomitable defence.

This team have the talent but do not seem to have the mind set necessary to compete when the going gets tough. Many believe that it is the lack of an uncompromising general on the pitch. The home team’s captain hooker David Burge was screaming at his team through the game, he led by example both chastising then encouraging his team to lift their game especially when taken to the sword in the second half.

So where was Bracknell’s voice because skipper Ben Nowak cannot do it from Centre. He does his best especially leading the team’s defensive organisation and goal kicking but he is simply too far away from the engine room where, in these physical encounters, spit and blood are mixed for much of the match. It is up to Sheasby to find this person or use his experience to turn an existing player into one although these goliath type characters are usually born, not developed.

Another point is why is it that Bracknell get on the wrong side of referees at line outs and rucks, they only took two minutes to do it on Saturday? Clearly the interpretation of the laws are down to the referee, Sheasby will talk to the referee about them before the game but, week in week out, Bracknell look to run the game their way. All that happens is Bracknell are stopped when in promising attacking positions or, players are hesitant to commit themselves, giving the opposition the split second they need to gain and advantage.

Finally, it is clear that opponents know Bracknell’s tactics. Weston had done their homework; they nullified Jervis Manupenu’s passing moves with Nowak, the home team’s lineout competed effectively with Bracknell’s and they also understood the visitor’s weakness in defence of the highball, which resulted in two tries being scored.

It is understood that Sheasby has the support of his players but someone has to be responsible and surely this is down to the coach. Sheasby must re-examine the areas that are not working and be prepared to drop out of form players. They must show the courage to improve because it needs an honest self-examination to lift individual performances from the depths they demonstrated in the first half at Weston.

The question supporters will be asking is “Can they do it”, the answer is a definite “yes” and the evidence is seen by looking at the first half against Oxford and in this match where in the second half for a 10-minute period, they destroyed Weston. The home team were forced to concede penalty after penalty and as a result the referee sin binned two of their players leaving a win in Bracknell’s grasp.

Inexplicably, while tearing shreds in the home defence and with the extra player, they blew two cast iron chances to score tries. Weston recovered the situation with their ‘Pocket General’ Burge at the centre of the action calling on his 14 remaining players for one final effort to hold on for the win.

Bracknell’s performance in the first half of this game can only be seen as pathetic! In attack they lacked any shape, passion or apparent ability to contest a game. If their defence wasn’t so disciplined, the first half could well have finished with Weston leading by 30 points and the game out of sight. They are clearly more comfortable when play is coming at them, rather than being inventive and taking the game to the opposition.

The game started with Bracknell having the sun and wind behind them but despite the elements being in their favour, the game was played in the visitors half because the Lily Hill team didn’t seem to know how to retain possession once past the halfway line!

After having their first throw penalised for taking too much time they then lost their power runner Ken Barry when he was shown the yellow card for infringing in the ruck. To their credit, the rest of the team didn’t allow Weston to use the one man advantage and gain points during this 10 minute period..

In fact, Bracknell were first to score on 24 minutes with a long range Nowak penalty Significantly, just before this, the normally reliable Manupenu over hit his free penalty kick into the corner depriving Bracknell of a line out on the home teams line.

It is possible that due to his standing in the team as the top player, this incident was to shape the visitors afternoon because it seemed that when they had attacking chances careless error followed careless error Meanwhile Weston, who had spent much of the half trying to break down a solid Bracknell defence, finally succeeded as they cut apart the leagues best defence twice within 2 minutes.

First, Weston’s clever scrum half Ross Bennett, scored after an error by a Bracknell defender forced a home scrum close to the Bracknell line. The conversion was kicked by fly half James Mackay, who then scored when he took advantage of two Bracknell defenders failing to collect a high kick and scored moving Weston in to a 14-3 lead at half time.

Bracknell’s supporters felt that the first half catastrophe would be corrected following a Sheasby half time pep talk but, a missed catch from the kick off followed by disastrous reactions from two Bracknell players who watched a speculative kick into the visiting try area stay in play long enough for Weston’s winger Paul Sprague to dive on the ball by the flag post.

This was controversial because the referee consulted the Weston touch judge who considered it was a try. Not having the benefit of video playback we will never know for sure but, in many ways, Bracknell got what they deserved. Ironically this try was similar to the one Cleve scored at home last season where another Bracknell player hesitated and the Cleve winger scored resulting in the Bracknell defeat which resulted in them missing automatic promotion.

Weston then seemed to catch the Bracknell bug, leading by 19-3 they sat back and were hit by two tries. First scrum half Dan Ap Dafydd then Kai Blankley went over for well-worked tries. Nowak converted the second try and Bracknell supporters held their breath as another great escape seemed on the cards with the score at 19-15.

Unfortunately for them, this was not to be because their team failed to go back to basics and demolish an opposition which had two men in the sin bin for a total of 20 minutes in the second half.

Being harsh, it looks a serious up hill effort for Bracknell’s 2008/09 promotion hopes and requires them to beat Redingensians, Clifton and Coney Hill twice this season. It is a tall order but looking at the players, they may be capable of achieving this if.... Sheasby can get his players minds working on the positive side of their playing ability.

The first test will be home to Barnstable this Saturday and it should be noted that the kick off will be at 2:15 pm.

**** Report courtesy of the Bracknell Times