match report
Wrecked.
Southends' first visit to Cornwalls' Mounts Bay RFC ended on the rocks, they were lured there by the incessant sound of a whistle.
Despite scoring fifteen points in the first twenty minutes they were reduced to uncertainty and disappointment when Mounts Bay managed to amass thirty five points without once crossing the try line. Seven successful penalty kicks and two converted penalty tries accounted for their total. It was not until the eightieth minute with Southend in disarray that Mounts Bay managed to ground the ball somewhere near the line, a try was given to take their score to 40 points.
It had all started well with some good flowing rugby from Southend resulting in two tries from Adam Ferrier and a successful conversion and penalty from Simon Hoult, Mounts Bay were on the back foot with Southend pressing for more points. A couple of head injuries on the ground resulted in both Luke Sloan and Rhys Powell having to be replaced and then the penalties came thick and fast, at one stage nineteen were awarded against Southend in succession. The only yellow card however was to Mark Braidwood for kicking the ball away in frustration.
Either this experienced team of players and their coaches are completely ignoring the laws of the game or there are some serious misunderstandings by players, officials or both. Your scribe has not seen anything like it before.
Not withstanding the one sided penalty count on Saturday Southend need to manage the referees better, it is not the first time in recent games that they have been penalised heavily. Many of the teams we play seem to be much better at it than us. They have a fortnight before the next league game at home to Blaydon, let’s hope for an improvement.
The rest of the squad in the shape of the Priors have a home friendly scheduled against Westcombe Park 11’s next Saturday. Kick off; 1pm.
Alan Grace
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