Old Patesians vs Exmouth

Old Patesians – 32
Exmouth – 0

Referee – Richard Bennett

Old Patesians endured atrocious weather conditions to return to winning form against Exmouth in the National Three South West clash as Everest Road.

Referee Richard Bennett had considered calling the game off before the start as the pitch was just a soggy quagmire and more rain was threatening. He relented when both captains pleaded for the game to proceed.

Exmouth, lying eleventh in the table kicked off down the greasy slope and soon had second placed pats camped deep in the bottom left corner. Pats defence was outstanding with wing forward Giles Potter returning to fitness and leading the back row with his no nonsense first up tackles. Pats survived a torrid first ten minutes and then struck back in some style. Wing three-quarter Stuart Taylor collected a fumble from and over adventurous Exmouth move and with defence stuck in the cloying mud set off on a brilliant fifty metre arching run for a great try in the top left hand corner.

As this moment the heavens opened and squall after squall hammered down from the brooding presence of nearby Leckhampton Hill and within minutes the players were indistinguishable from one another and the entire pitch was just a sea of churned up mud. The referee concluded there was no physical danger to the players in allowing the game to continue but any chance of skilled handling moves were abandoned.

Pats are the masters in these conditions and on this pitch skipper Adam Seager stretched the lead with a penalty goal. Prop Simon Brown, growing in confidence as the season progresses charged down a desperate clearance kick on the visitors goal line and his ample frame dropped over the whitewash for a well deserved try. Seager added the extras and Pats were looking good.

Scrum-half Darren Moore had reclaimed his position after an absence of two months and his calm authority at the base of the scrum, ruck and maul gave an assured stability to the whole team. His thoughtful box kicks and weighted dive passes kept his team going forward as he revelled in the revolting conditions more suited to a warthog or mud snorkeler.

Pats continued to exercise patience and control and from a penalty line-out the excellent Charlie Samutt palmed off the top and from the catch and drive hooker Ollie Smith burrowed over for a try. Seager landed a touchline conversion and Pats led by 22 points to nil at the break.

Under the circumstances the teams turned around without delay and Pats started the second half down the hill with high expectation they could wipe out the Exmouth challenge. In all fairness to the visitors their big forwards seemed to relish the battle and for twenty minute they thwarted the Pats attacks with skill and some seriously heavy hits.

As the game entered the final quarter a Moore box kick stuck in the mud and when it was hacked on, number eight Brett Harvey won the foot race for the try. Pats were in control but scoring chances were hard to generate in such slimy conditions.

Exmouth lost their open side flanker Ben Boswell to the sin bin for stamping and Pats replacement Gethin Evans closed the game with a regulation catch and drive from the penalty line-out.

Pats had returned to the winners enclosure but their coaching staff must be aware they need a few tweaks in certain positions to maintain their drive for the play-off spot.

By Bob Ellis

Man of the Match – Darren Moore