A long Hard Day

Harborne went into the gaming boasting a 100% record of three wins from three, and were looking to take what was seen as one of the big scalps in the league in the away fixture at Uttoxeter.
The home side started the game on the front foot with some probing runs from their nine, but a chip too long and a good 22 drop out saw Harborne into the opponents half for the first time and gaining ground but losing possession was to Harborne’s benefit as a fumble in the middle field allowed the ball to be hacked through and with Will Arnold first there on the chase to touch down in the corner. Harborne up inside the first 10 mins.
Soon Uttoexeter were camped back in the Harborne 22 and despite some impressive defending the pressure told as a converted penalty for offside allowed them to close the gap.
With a second penalty missed, Uttoxeter were trying to turn possession into points, but with a try disallowed for a forward pass, Harborne’s good defensive display was standing up to the opponents attack.
To make it an even greater test the referee, somewhat harshly, sent Craig Heiny to the bin for an high tackle when a penalty would have been surffice.
The kick, lineout and the subsequent catch and drive saw what Uttoxeter thought was the try they craved but more solid defending saw a penalty to Harborne for a double movement.
The tide started to swing to Harborne , and despite a heavy contact that saw Rodger Saunders off with blood pouring down his face they started to exert some pressure of their own. Rodger, like a trooper with some tlc and superglue vowed he would return to the action later on.
Harborne’s powerful runs from the front, in particular lamby and Jamie Mills, started to create some holes and caused Uttoxeter to give away a handful of penalties.
Craig Heaney converting to give Harborne a five point cushion.
It was not to last as the game swung back to Uttoxeter and from some Neil Back hand-style rucking saw them finish a move that got their first try of the game. The conversation gave Uttoxeter a two point lead.
It was to be a lead they would not relent as they were soon back in the Harborne half and despite some last man tackles from Wrighty, and the whole pack keeping the scrum at bay for five scrums in a row, the half stretched to a bizarre sixty minutes, and Uttoxeter crossed the line again. The ref’s bizarre time-keeping added an extra twenty minutes to the half, much to the annoyance of the away spectators, who were voicing their opinions on the matter. It is difficult enough for players to maintain their own composure and concentration when such odd occurrences are going on, but this was helped even less by the response of their own spectators to the ref, and Uttoxeter duly “played to the whistle” while we were found waiting for it.
15-8 at half time and Harborne were still in it, and they started the second half well with a series of salmon like leaps in the line from Alex, matched with the unerring dart throwing qualities of Speedboat, possession was creeping back to Harborne and a series of good interchanges and passes across the pitch saw them so close in the far corner before the ball was lost.
Harborne were starting to play, and a few more phases saw the Uttoxeter stretched at the edges as the ball was passed from one side of the pitch to the other, and some more direct running gave glimpses of chances but nothing more.
Once again Uttoxeter came back and started to strip ball over the park, and once their backs stopped dropping the ball, they put it through the hands and scored once more.
With Harborne’s lineout still working well and stealing ball from the opposition line there was still hope but when an over through and race between Will and the opposite 10 was won by the home player who ran in under the posts the game was all but over.
With the bonus point assured Uttoxeter added another penalty to make the final score 30-8.
Harborne, suffering only their first defeat of the season, will be left to think on what could have been, and will be looking to make amends next week. Credit to Uttoxeter, who played their cards very well and played with the higher intensity. Harborne stuck to the task, but were left somewhat shell shocked by the constant onslaught. In the long term, this will have done Harborne’s cause no harm at all, somewhat of a reality check will help the team admit shortcomings and hopefully bring a new level of intensity to training, coupled with a determination to listen, learn and progress.

man of the match for his defensive display, Mark Wright.
dick of the day, whichever manufacturer supplied the ref's watch

report courtesy of our very own Laureate in Residence, Chris Daawson.