Report from MMT4 game on Saturday 2nd March from Captain Jez Inson.

Despite the score against a team that had a 23-man squad, a fullback who was playing waaaaaaaaaay below the level he can and with ambitions of winning the league on the day, it was actually a good performance from the fine bunch of players in green and white.

We had the 15 at the start, and our favourite Peruvian Luis Coa gamely volunteered for hooking duties between Colonel and Fab. Being small it meant their props had to go low and as such we held them in the scrums. Saffa John from the Evergreens was idling about, so Adide found some shorts and boots for him and he slotted in a number 8 for a 50 minute cameo. Big Jules and BOF were in the engine room and the speed and thrust of Sunny and Abdou could be found on the flanks.

Will joined me in the halves, Alex B and Alex A were the centres, Johnson and Marco on the wings and Conor channeling his best plastic Taff impression of Liam Williams at fullback.

Overall we put them under pressure, competed at breakdown, scrum and lineout, and only their fullback really made the difference. They took advantage when their better cohesion (training, surely that’s cheating) allowed them to capitalise when our intensity dropped. That said Abdou pickpocketed a try which I converted and did the same early in the second despite there being some cleeaaaaaar knock-ons occurring. The ref missed a few, but he at least apologised for his errors and also pointed out that both teams were as bad as each other when it came to cheating at the breakdown. However, he disappeared before fulfilling his promise to buy us some beer if we scored a third.

That we duly did with the final play, Danny (a halftime arrival to relieve Luis at hooker) squeezed through a gap in the middle of a ruck. Luis was given the kicking duties and duly upset the local worm population with his grubbered drop kick.

No win, but an enjoyable match in which every player gave their all. Good spirit of the Exiles continues as pretty much everyone stuck around for the pro’s match.

MOTM - Luis for his performance at hooker and wing
DOTD - Abdou. When we discuss not kicking and he takes a wild swing to nowhere and then falls about laughing afterwards, there can be no complaints.

Tries - Abdou x 2, Danny F, Conversions - Jez x 2