Old Patesians – 12
Redingensians– 32
(abandoned after 62 minutes)
Referee- Mr Richard Harding
Old Patesians took on promotion challenging Redingensians in their National League 3 South West clash at Everest Road but the game was abandoned in the final quarter due to a serious injury to one of their visitors.
Pats were twenty points adrift when the injury occurred and as the game had progressed through more than the sixty minute cut off point Redingensians took the comfortable bonus point victory.
Redingensians had hammered the Pats at Sonning Park in September by 45 points to 15 points and their well-drilled, huge and extremely mobile pack soon had the home team under the cosh despite the disadvantage of playing up the slope.
Pats were again depleted through injury and unavailability but their determination to give a good account of themselves against the high flyers was evident in their fully committed defence regime in the first quarter.
They were desperately stretched by the non-stop controlled aggression from the Reds thrusts but they eventually ran out of defenders and the visitors left wing Mark Odejobi looped round his mates and went over in the top right hand corner.
Pats responded magnificently from the restart kick which was fumbled by the Reds fly half Shaun Brown deep in his own 22. Pats had the scrum feed and skipper James King and flanker Lotti Molitika both went close to the line with the pick and drive. Scrum half Darren Moore, as sharp as a tack, flipped an outrageous reverse pass to Number Eight James Pettigrew who skewered and pirouetted over the line to level the scores.
The battle at the breakdown was immense with thunderous counter rucking from both sides and Pats forwards Rob Fidler and Ben Walsh never took a step back against the Berkshire bruisers. The contest was brutal but fair but again the Pats faltered and the Reds giant lock forward Mike Turner, weighing 19 stone and standing six feet ten inches, extended a telescopic arm from a steaming maul for a try close to the posts. Full back Will Clarke added the conversion and then landed a penalty goal when the Pats fell offside in the midfield from the restart.
Pats were shaken but still full of optimism and resolve and centre Jules Lett straightened the line and sent in winger Joe Ballinger for a try in the right hand corner. Full back James Butler hoofed over a superlative touch line conversion and Pats were right back in the game.
Reds shrugged off this temporary reversal and again their juggernaut maul was almost unstoppable. With the Pats back row all sucked in to halt the drive, gaps appeared and winger Dom Gosling scooted over for a try. Clarke converted and Reds led by 22 points to 12 points at the break.
Pats started well after the interval with their own version of a driving maul and earned a penalty line-out close to the Reds line. The catch and drive was clean and accurate but the referee adjudged they had employed the illegal ‘truck and trailer’ and the chance to score was lost.
Now, Pats game began to unravel as their scrum on their own feed was unceremoniously shunted backwards and the Reds were now easily on top with quality possession and territorial domination.
They added tries through lock forward Owen Root and a second for Gosling and, despite an heroic defensive effort, Pats were looking down both barrels at the inevitable defeat.
As the game entered the final quarter an incident off the ball resulted in the Reds openside wing forward Azza Hopkins being knocked clean out.
The referee had been concentrating on play at the time of the injury and as he was unsighted could not issue any cards or cautions. At this level, touch judges are not appointed by the Referees Society and are drawn from representatives of the respective sides. As such, their duties are restricted to touch-line affairs and they have no say in any untoward or unsavoury play on the pitch.
Hopkins was obviously and distressfully unwell and after some time a paramedic team arrived. The player had suffered some kind of fit after the blow and an ambulance was called. When Hopkins was taken to hospital some forty minutes had elapsed and the team captains, coaches and referee decided enough was enough and the game was officially abandoned.
The injury blighted an otherwise good game but the Reds deserved the win without any doubt.
Star Player: Reds winger – Mark Odejobi
By Bob Ellis
