Sutton & Epsom RFC An amateur community rugby club

Latest 1st XV match report

Sutton & Epsom 59-19 Shelford
Sutton Sink Spirited Shelford
Top of the table Sutton took on bottom of the table Shelford at Rugby Lane on Saturday. However, with Wimbledon’s fortuitous last gasp draw against struggling Chingford the previous weekend the Black & Whites had been given not only a stern warning against complacency but also a reminder of the competitive nature of this league. The visitors arrived in buoyant mood having, at last, recorded their first win of the campaign last time out against Brentwood. However, they were teetering on the precipice of relegation. Mathematically to survive the Cambridgeshire men required bonus point victories from their remaining seven fixtures whilst Sidcup would need to reprise the traditional points tally of a Norwegian Eurovision entry. Despite a courageous performance by the visiting XV against a team plagued with injuries to their back division the league leaders relegated Shelford by inflicting a 59-19 defeat on the men from The Davey Field.

On a cloudy afternoon with a gentle breeze Jacob Knight set the game in motion. Within the first five minutes S&E had opened their account. The Shelford defences had repelled several sorties but the ball was passed wide to Stefan Cooksammy on the wing who made ground before his well timed pass enabled the looping Sam Hurley to score on the flank. The conversion ricocheted from one upright to the crossbar to the opposite post and apologetically crossed the vertical plane to add two rather comical additional points for a 7-0 lead for the home XV. The first of the injured quartet of backs to depart was James Valentine as Steve Munford, returning from concussion, replaced him off the bench. Stoic Shelford defence denied the table-toppers who failed to convert pressure into points from close range. Then forty metres out Stefan Cooksammy came off his wing to receive the ball as the pack drove forward in the scrummage and offloaded to Jamie See who side – stepped past the tacklers and sprinted in under the posts. Sam Hurley added another conversion for 14-0.

Early in the second quarter Kyren Ghumra was forced from the field with a sprained ankle. Jason Coombes, a flanker by trade, now made his debut from the bench on the wing. The Cambridgeshire men held their own as half time approached. Indeed with rather better finishing they might have scored twice from deep after one interception and another counter. Sutton, benefitting from fast ball, spun the ball wide to both wings before it found its way to Matt Whitaker who ran over the defender to score in the corner. The conversion fell short as the hosts extended their lead to 19-0. The game entered a generous period of time added on for the injuries incurred. Shelford, following brave goal line defence, opted to run from a 5-metre scrum rather than use the boot to relieve the siege. This provided S&E another chance. A long looping pass was fired in the direction of Stefan Cooksammy whose deft cushioned volley, reminiscent of his days as a Northamptonshire County footballer, outflanked the cover and nestled neatly over the line for him to dive upon. Sam Hurley added the conversion for 26-0. >From the re-start came Sutton’s finest play of the half. Try-scorer Cooksammy ran back the deep kick off beating several players. From the ruck Raynn Bruce kept up the momentum as the ball found Jamie See who weaved his way deep into enemy territory with neat footwork and palming off potential tacklers. Finally, it reached Sam Hurley who was ajudged to have touched it down in the corner before the cover sent him crashing off the pitch. No doubt in a televised game there would have been a dozen different angles and an interminable delay. The conversion from the touchline by Jacob Knight hit the upright and stayed out as the score at 31-0 brought the first period to a close.

At the commencement of the second half the reason for the change of place-kicker for the final play of the first half became apparent as Sam Hurley did not take the field having been forced to the side-lines with a knee injury. The Black & Whites now set up with back rows Messrs Whitaker & Coombes on the wings. Shelford, with their sniping scrum half to the fore throughout, came out with the positive intent they had shown from the first blast of the whistle. Lax tackling from the hosts put the men from The Davey Field in prime attacking territory. This time they punished the Sutton error to score out wide. The conversion was missed but Shelford were on the scoreboard trailing 5-31. More promise for the visitors came from the restart as S&E conceded a penalty which was nearly run back the length of the pitch for a second Shelford try. Crisis averted with a penalty to the Rugby Lane team. A powerful catch and drive from the ensuing line out saw the pack rumble forward. Eric Duey broke clear and found Jordan Coombes with an equisite overhead pass, the debutant transferred it to Jacob Bushnell who ran over the tackler to score. Jacob Knight added the conversion for 38-5. Before the crowd could catch its breath the Cambridgeshire men had exploited more poor tackling from Sutton to score a try which was converted, on this occasion, for 12-38. Five minutes later there was a curious try. Jacob Bushnell took a quick tap penalty whilst a goodly number of the assembled participants were enjoying an outbreak of scuffles in a variety of locations on the pitch and scored under the posts. Following the unsavoury incidents the referee restored order, laid down the law to the numerous miscreants and the Jacob Knight conversion was completed for 45-12.

The game entered the final quarter with the Peacocks determined to garner a bonus point for their efforts. A promising period of possession appeared to have come to nought when they conceded a penalty. However, the long clearance kick failed to find touch, the ball was run back with a vengeance as it reached the opposite flank a well-weighted grubber was regathered by the kicker who sped away to score. A superb Shelford score was converted for 19-45. The 14th placed side in the league led the 1st placed team 19-14 in the second period which spoke volumes about their character on a testing afternoon. In the last ten minutes of scheduled time the league leaders restored order with a final brace of goals. First of all Jordan Coombes was halted agonisingly sort of a debut try. The ball was transferred to lock Matt Harwood who showed impressive strength from 5 metres out to score despite the close attentions of several Shelford forwards. Jacob Knight added the extras. The last of Sutton’s nine tries came five minutes later as fine continuity put Stefan Cooksammy deep in the opposition 22. His well-placed grubber was gathered by Jacob Bushnell who was denied a hat trick by the covering tackle but Stefan Cooksammy was on hand to force it over from close to the line. Jacob Knight added the conversion as a fourth Sutton back, Jacob Bushnell, left the field injured. The last five minutes and the time added on yielded no further points despite both sides best efforts as the contest finished with more entertaining end-to-end rugby. The referee brought proceedings to a conclusion with the final score reading 59-19.

I do not know what adjective Oscar Wilde would have used for losing four backs in a game but it was unprecedented in recent memory. The Sutton coaching team reshuffled the deck as many times as a Vegas Black Jack dealer as their side finished with only 14 still standing on the park. Never has a rest weekend been more necessary as the club physiotherapists will be working overtime in an effort to return the injured quartet back to action. It was a highly entertaining game of rugby containing a dozen tries. The defeat consigned Shelford to relegation. However, they finished with four players aged seventeen on the pitch which bodes well for the future. The visitors never threw in the towel and attacked at every opportunity and, in all probability, deserved a bonus point for their efforts but were denied that meagre consolation. Sutton & Epsom wish them well in their efforts to regain their National League status next season. The hosts remain on the summit of the league but in a fortnight’s time they face a stern test at The Gables when they travel to Westcliff who trail the Black & Whites by only 4 points in the table.

Sutton & Epsom
Sam Hurley, Stefan Cooksammy, Jacob Bushnell, Jamie See, Kyren Ghumra, Jacob Knight, James Valentine, Alex Mount, Chris Farrell, Raynn Bruce, Matt Harwood, Eric Duey, George Drye, James Caddy (capt), Matt Whitaker. Replacements (all used): Luke Halford, Jordan Coombes and Steve Munford.