Bournemouth - 41
Old Patesians – 14
A spirited second half performance from the Old Patesians failed to deny Bournemouth a comfortable victory in National League 3 South West.
Pats had made the long trip to Chapel Gate with the faint hope that Bournemouth may have been disturbed by their recent defeat against Chinnor who just head them at the top of the table by virtue of points scored for and against.
Pats resources of players who can compete at this level had suffered a hammer blow in the week when two key men had declared themselves unavailable. Fly half Matt Dean was ordered to spend a day Christmas shopping and their influential and combative utility back James Butler flew off at short notice to watch his girlfriend play in a ladies 7’s tournament in Dubai.
Leo Fielding stepped into the fly half berth for the Everest Road outfit and whilst, no doubt, he is a young, courageous and talented player with great potential this was almost a step too far, too soon in his embryonic career.
Bournemouth boast a vastly experienced set of streetwise, battle hardened, semi-professional players and with scrum half Sam Hardcastle at the helm, they have a man of quality, intuition and pace who could, without doubt, ply his trade at a higher level.
Pats were struggling from the kick-off with Bournemouth pinching a penalty line-out and working through the phases with ground gobbling controlled pick and drives. Pats buckled under the early pressure and the Bournemouth No. 8 Gavin Hart was awarded a pushover try for the opening score.
Pats tried to settle but they were starved of possession by the sheer physicality of their hosts and were shunted unceremoniously deep into the danger zone. Pats were upset by the rucking techniques of the Bournemouth forwards as they seemingly came off their feet at nearly every breakdown without any punishment from the officials. When Pats scrum half Darren Moore took the law into his own hands and used his boot to remind an offender, he was shown a yellow card and traipsed off to the sin bin. The Bournemouth fly half punished Moore’s indiscretion with a penalty goal.
The Pats scrummaging was fine when they had the rare chance of their own feed but at their line-out was a trifle wobbly. Their banker jumper, second row Rob Fidler, had to drop almost to the tail to counter the challenge of the Bournemouth second row lighthouses Tim Seward and Callum Forrest who competed with real menace at every throw from their visitors and poached crucial ball from hard won penalty line-outs.
The Pats kicking was somewhat wayward and profligate in the first half and meagre possession was too often kicked straight down the throats of the Bournemouth receivers who countered with relish at every opportunity.
Centre Scott Chislett and Hardcastle picked up tries from the Pats mistakes and Pollard converted both.
Pats skipper, prop James King, as tough as teak, tried to break the gain line with a number of route one, hard yard carries with his head and body low but he was isolated and contained without too much trouble.
Pats were in a mess with every attacking threat closed down before it really developed and then Fidler was lucky to escape with only a yellow card for dragging down Forrest whilst he was airborne at the line-out.
Bournemouth chose a scrum on the five metre line for Fidler’s clumsiness and left wing Robbie Searle wrapped up the half with a try on the blind. Bournemouth led by 27 points to nil at the break.
Bournemouth made a cracking start to the second half with clean, quick ball from a set scrum and full back Karim Lynch entering the line at an angle for a try between the posts, converted by Pollard.
Pats had suffered enough humiliation for one afternoon and collectively rolled up their sleeves to have a real go at their South Coast tormentors. With nothing to lose now but their own pride and self-esteem they cranked up the gears for a fifteen minute purple patch.
Full back George Hughes, who had been behind his own 22 for most of the first half, spotted a rare gap in the Bournemouth midfield and his pace carried him clear of the wide defence. When he was eventually stopped centre Stu Taylor, in support at the breakdown, went over for a try converted by Fielding.
Bournemouth took charge from the restart and set up camp on the Pats five metre line but then came the magical moment when Hughes intercepted on his own goal line and sprinted the length of the pitch for a try under the posts.
Fielding converted and with twenty minutes remaining Pats had an outside chance, at least, of claiming a bonus point. Their hopes were dashed when Chislett picked up his second try from a charge down, duly converted by Pollard.
Pats battled on but they were tired now and picked up a third yellow card when centre Lotti Molitika was pinged for obstruction and Bournemouth cruised to the final whistle for a comprehensive win and a bonus point. Pats can be pleased with their non-stop efforts but must learn to play the referee, whatever they think of his decisions, and to lose thirty minutes of player power with three men in the bin is unacceptable at this level.
Star Player: Bournemouth scrum half – Sam Hardcastle.
By Bob Ellis
