Bream v Old Elizabethans
28th September 2024

Old Elizabethans 1st XV made their way to the Forest of Dean to play last season’s “Table Toppers”, Bream RFC. Whilst back in Bristol the Es’ Thundercats had a local derby away v Avonmouth 2nd XV, which the TCs won. (33 - 57). Photo and team sheet at the end of this report.

1st XV SQUAD: Liam Bailey, James Brooke, Jack Houlder, George Hollingbury, Adam Skyner, George Burnie, Tobias Burden, Will Tobin, Tom Cole, Monty Nash, Arthur Mills, Alex Potts, Scott Tomlins, Ollie Lunt, Will Monro, Fergus Blythe, Matt Bailey, Pat Dore

A big welcome to the 1st XV for Liam Bailey and a welcome back for their first game of the season to Adam Skyner and Pat Dore.

MATCH REPORT:
Es started by making a few mistakes but soon settled into the game with the hallmark stealing of the ball in the line out by Adam Skyner and plenty of steals on the ground by Will Tobin throughout the game. Es equalled early Bream pressure and broke out from their own half with some superb running inside the 15m channel, led by Will Monro, a good timed pass to Ollie Lunt before beating the fullback with a pass to Arthur Mills who ran in for a great try, not converted (0-5).

Es’ scrum was creaking a bit as Bream applied more pressure which led to their levelling the scores at (5-5).

Adam Skyner and Pottsy were running hard at the Bream defence as Es made inroads. A penalty awarded to Es within easy kicking distance should have been converted to 3 points but Es chose to move the ball instead and this together with a few other visits to the Bream 22 where Es came away with nothing were punished by Bream with a converted try (12-5).

The Ref was coming under increasing stick from both teams and supporters as various strange decisions both ways brought his handling of the game into question, but he is the Ref after all and we will never change his mind by disagreeing!!

The Es’ Blue Wall stood firm 5m out from their try line as Bream mounted a series of attacks before Es were awarded a penalty enabling a kick to clear their lines. A series of penalties against Bream saw Es move up field with a great kick to the corner by Monty Nash, but Es were penalised for not straight at the line out! However, at the scrum, Es scrum half hounded the Bream Scrum Half into making a mistake and the spilled ball was pounced on by George Burnie for a well-deserved try which Monty converted (12-12).

Half Time score (Bream 12-12 OEs).

Tobias Burden off and Liam Bailey on. Es’ scrum was now continually being penalised but Will Tobin at No.8 did come to the rescue a number of times. The game was starting to get a little feisty! Further Bream pressure was again well defended by Es and lines cleared following a good steal from Liam Bailey who was enjoying a really good shift. Bream were penalised at the scrum and a quick thinking Tom Cole saw him shrug off the attempted tackles of two Bream players before scoring a good solo try (not converted - (12-17).

A brilliant take from the start by Adam Skyner was well appreciated by the travelling Es support. Scott Tomlins received an injury and was replaced by Pat Dore who was totally fired up! A high tackle on Pat saw a Bream player Yellow Carded. As well as struggling in the scrums and despite some dubious referee decisions the Es penalty count was far too high and every time Es seemed to be making advances, they were pegged back again following a penalty against.

With 20 minutes to go Es’ hooker Fergus Blythe was Yellow Carded for playing the ball on the floor when he was the tackled player just setting the ball up! With Fergus off Alex Potts made up the scrum 8 for Es, but despite this Bream shoved Es backwards for a pushover try and conversion (19-17).

From the restart Bream ran in a fantastic try from their own 22 and converted to make the score (26-17).

A further and second Yellow Card to Es prop Jack Houlder followed and when asking the referee for a reason he was told “You know!”. Despite being reduced to 13 men Es contained any further threats from Bream and a couple of minutes from the end the game was brought to halt with a potentially bad injury to talisman Alex Potts (later confirmed as two fractures), and that’s the way the game ended.

Conclusion: Es were the better team for periods of this game but probably due to poor scrum ball and high penalty counts and probably not coming up quick enough from the restart kick they lost out narrowly but Bream will have known they were in a game! As the Es injury count rises Es will be glad to welcome back certain players at their next game!

Next League match is a home game vs Bristol Saracens in two week’s time, Be there to support.

FINAL SCORE: Bream 26 – 17 Old Elizabethans

Spectators Man of the Match:  Will Monro

Players Man of the Match:  Will Monro

SCORERS:
Tries: Arthur Mills, Tom Bendall, George Burnie, Tom Cole
Conversions: Monty Nash

Full Table and Fixture List below

Report by: Paul ‘Blakey’ Barrington

CLICK for the Old Elizabethans RFC website