Gritty Old Boys edge closer to promotion
UCS Old Boys edged nearer promotion from London League division four with a hard-fought but deserved win against a determined Fullerians side at Mill Hill on Saturday. The Old Boys now require just one victory from their
UCS Old Boys 15
Fullerians 13
UCS Old Boys edged nearer promotion from London League division four with a hard-fought but deserved win against a determined Fullerians side at Mill Hill on Saturday.
The Old Boys now require just one victory from their three remaining league games to secure division three football next season.
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With the Ranulf Road pitches again under water UCS played their home game at Mill Hill's Copthall ground, where they have a less than impressive record.
And the Old Boys got off to the worst possible start when they made a hash of a quickly-taken lineout. Fullerians gathered possession and released a wing to score a converted try.
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The home side eventually gained some territory in the opposition's half. Good forward driving led to a successful penalty for scrum-half Casey Mee.
However, this was quickly cancelled out as Fullerians landed a penalty from the half-way line.
More forward pressure led to another soft try. This time UCS were the beneficiaries of an opposition gift.
Wing Dominic Glazewski caught an easy interception pass and raced away to touch down for a try, converted by Mee. That made it 10-10 at half-time.
The second-half again started badly for the Old Boys, with wing Chris Harris deciding that it was better to give away three points than five. But his infringement was doubly punished - first by the Fullerians' kicker, who landed the penalty, and then by the referee, who sin-binned the big wing.
Slowly, UCS started to get the ascendancy up front with Marc Waterman - back in the first team - producing a strong display in the scrum.
Brad Wheeler was outstanding in the middle of the lineout and the UCS driving maul was making serious inroads into the Fullerians half.
Eventually, UCS scored the try that was to seal the points through one such drive.
Jonny Harper, the No 8, went close from the initial drive before brilliant handling by prop Ben Burkhill allowed lock Keith Howes to squeeze over the line.
UCS began to close out the game in the final minutes and, despite hooker Ricky Whitehouse being sin-binned late on, held out for a crucial victory.
The Old Boys' next league game is at Finchley on March 17.
UCS: Harding, Glazewski, Innes, Friend, Harris, O'Donnell, Mee, Burkhill, Whitehouse, Waterman, (Dowding) Howes, (Dillon) Wheeler, Chapman, Skinner, Harper.
pat.mooneyl@hamhigh.co.uk
