Passionate game in this top of the table clash

For many of the lads this was there 1st outing of 2017, at times this was apparent but both teams delivered a compelling, committed and passionate game of rugby in this top of the table clash in OBB League Division 1. There were thrills, spills and contention throughout, the result always in the balance but ultimately the greatest influence was not well executed structures or moments of brilliance, but flashes of red and yellow.

The opening exchanges were frenetic, with great line speed and competition at the breakdown. Chinnor kicked for territory and Bracknell played their structured patterns, looking to attack the 10/12 channel. Both sides began to settle in to their games, when the first flash of red changed the dynamics of the game fatally. With his leg being held for sometime after a tackle, Josh Knight flicked out with his free leg which the referee deemed to be a deliberate kick - his reaction was instant and Josh was dismissed for the remainder of the game. The disparity in numbers, at such an early point in the game, was ultimately the defining factor from here on in.

The subsequent Chinnor penalty was missed.

Adversity and how you react to it will define a teams character, and it's resolve, desire to grind out a result. Bracknell reacted perfectly. After absorbing plenty of pressure in the immediate aftermath of the red card they adjusted and adapted well, applying plenty of pressure on the Chinnor defensive systems, in fact during the remainder of the half Bracknell looked the better side and most likely to score. With ball in hand Bracknell looked threatening - procession was now king, and the home team were rewarded with a penalty kick for a dangerous tackle from the Chinnor 17, with a flash of yellow parity in numbers was restored for 7 minutes.

Bracknell continued to drive forward with ball in hand, but were guilty of a number of poor kicks that provided Chinnor with procession and the opportunity to counter or kick deep. A missed Bracknell penalty was followed by the first score of the game - a well struck penalty - Chinnor had the advantage in points and numbers once again as the Chinnor 17 returned to the field.

With adversity conquered, a resurgent and combative Bracknell now enjoyed their best spell of the game, the engine room of James Roberts, Sam Dunks and Tom Scott generating the go forward, the backs running hard and challenging out wide. But in amongst the power plays, the defensive work had to be done - in this area Patrick Fitzgerald and Liam Collins were outstanding.

As the half drew to an end, Bracknell dominated with Luke Fisher almost finished off a well executed period of play in the corner. The pressure continued and in the 31st minute Bracknell took a quick tap 5 meters out only to be tackled immediately - a professional foul in anyone's book, that all to often goes unpunished - certain try illegally denied - of course the 'Giggling Squid' linesman didn't agree! Bracknell now on the ascendency attacked again with James Roberts making in-roads into the Chinnor midfield, the ball was recycled quickly and moved wide through some silky handling to the right - attacking with pace is hard to defend, defenders were 'pinned' and Callum Baker squeezed over in the corner. Oli Radford struck the conversion true from the touchline and Bracknell led in adversity 7-3.

Within this sublimely executed try was another game defining incident that went unpunished. As Scotty charged towards the line, the Chinnor 17 attempted a tackle but made contact with the Toms neck - it was high, and some could say reckless, a minimum yellow card in World Rugby's eyes, and a second yellow at that, but he stayed on!

Chinnor attacked in the last few moments of the half, and were awarded a penalty 30 meters out, they chose to kick at goal much to the annoyance of the Giggle Squid who spewed more ink at his lads for making a decision! - good on you lads, it's your game, you learn and grow in to mature players by making decisions on the park - that's what Colts rugby is all about. The kick was missed.

Early in the second period Chinnor were awarded a penalty when Bracknell were adjudged to have pulled a maul down - with the extra man, the driving maul was Chinnor's best and arguably only weapon, a message clearly given at half time - an excellent nudge to the corner gave them the opportunity to test the theory. The line out was clinical and Chinnors extra bulk drove the ball over the line for a well deserved try which was converted off the post to extend their lead to 7-10 - this was going to be tight.

Bracknell still looked the better side and most likely to score, even with the disparity in numbers but invariably field position and procession were given up through a catalogue of errors - some unforced and others unfathomable.

Bracknell were penalised at least 2 or 3 times for an early nudge at attacking scrums, of course this is the referees interpretation and is to be respected. However, the lads will need to question themselves as to why they continually attempted to throw to the back of the line out with a stand-in hooker who hadn't practiced this precision skill for a couple of years, this put Sam under unnecessary pressure when his 'arrows' were spot on to the front of the line out - to be fair, this was corrected late in the half but 3 or more opportunities went begging prior to that.

Bracknell played the rugby but couldn't complete in the red zone, this was to be there undoing. Chinnor had their moments too, but the defensive work was immense, optimised by Patrick Fitzgerald in his 'David v Goliath' battle in the centre - he chopped the big, hard running centre down on the gain line every time - it soon became an ineffective tactic. Luke Fishers 'George North' judo roll when running out of defence was equally memorable (their touchline Fiancées would have been impressed).

With 15 minutes to play the Chinnor 17 received his second yellow for a 'no arms' tackle, arguably his third dangerous tackle of the game and a good 25 minutes after his second when perhaps he should have gone. This was Bracknell opportunity, but again unforced errors sterilised their attacks, none more so than losing the ball against the head at a centre field scrum on the Chinnor 22, perhaps the most attacking position on the field.

On 30 minutes Chinnor sealed the victory with a well struck penalty awarded for holding on, this was game over and with it any notions of Bracknell retaining the OOB Division 1 were lost.

Congratulations to Chinnor for completing the league double over Bracknell and may the best team win when you face Maidenhead later in the season.

From a Bracknell perspective, there was much to be admired in this performance - the preparation for this game had been poor, and this can have a negative effect the players mindset, as too can losing a player in the early exchanges of a game - but the spirt, desire, guts and absolute determination shown by all involved was outstanding in the face of adversity. Of course, my view is subjective, but Bracknell were the better side, even with 14 players and the lesson to be learnt is being clinical in the red zone - having a big heart only takes you so far, but it cannot be coached but developing clinical core skills only comes from repetition and honing those skills on the training paddock - ultimately with the weather as it has been or perhaps a lack of numbers at training led to being less than clinical at critical moments on the day - I can only speculate if this the difference, you decide?

But not taking anything away from you lads, this was a gutsy and in many ways heart warming display with much to be pleased about - so now the pressures off, let's finish the season with a bang, there are three more league games to show our true worth and of course a tour to look forward too.