Old Patesians – 22
Redingensians – 11
Referee – Brian Barclay
Old Patesians claimed the play-off spot in the National Three South West with a gritty win against Redingensians at Everest Road. Pats visitors, lying in fifth in the table, boasted a grimly determined big set of forwards and with drizzling rain setting in at the kick-off this turned out to be a match with no place for the faint hearted.
Pats had the first-half advantage of the slope and fly-half Mike Wilcox landed a super touch find from a first minute penalty. From the catch and drive masterfully executed by second row, Rob Fidler there was no stopping prop Ollie Smith as he burrowed over in the right hand corner. Skipper Adam Seager stroked over the conversion from the touch line and Pats looked comfortably in control.
Wilcox is growing in stature as a playmaker and his educated boot and distribution skills kept the Pats on the front foot during the firs quarter. Seager struck a penalty goal from inside his own half but then Pats seamed to lose their way in the battle up front. Reds forwards were hitting the ruck and maul with more energy, venom and muscle and securing crucial turnover ball at the breakdown. Fortunately for Pats their opponents backs were not too sharp at exploiting the advantage gained by their forwards and many promising moves floundered on indecision and Pats solid defence.
Reds lively open side wing forward Simon Parfitt was yellow carded for a persistent team offence and again Wilcox got his radar right with a touch find on the five metre line. From the regulation catch and drive Smith picked up his second try as the heap of bodies crashed over the line. Seager hit the uprights with his conversion attempt and although Pats were leading the forwards were in a war of attrition.
Reds focussed on a series of juggernaut ground gobbling drives up the slope. Pats had to resort to illegalities and wing forward Giles Potter was sent to the sin bin for dragging down the ball carrier. Pats were lucky that Reds kicker Peter Freeth missed two reasonably straight forward penalty kicks and Pats closed the half leading 15 points to nil.
After the break the rain intensified, the pitch became a gooey quagmire and passing and catching soon became a nightmare for both sides. Pats kept the concentration and discipline in the testing conditions but Reds lost the plot completely. Forwards Owen Root and James Watkins were yellow carded within a minute of each other for technical offences and Pats had the chance to close the game.
They drove and shoved the depleted Reds pack up the slope and were awarded a series od penalties deep in the visitors red zone. A penalty try seemed on the cards but somehow Reds survived and countered with some awesome wheeling drives of their own, albeit with two men off the park.
Pats escaped from the left hand corner with another magical clearance kick from Wilcox and number eight James Pettigrew returning after a long lay-off with injury too centre stage. He bashed a big hole in the midfield with his trademark bullocking style and when the ball was released, Seager was in space for a great try which he converted himself.
The Reds sin-bin miscreants returned to the fray and Pats forwards again looked venerable as they shovelled their way down the hill. Watkins, refreshed from his ten minute rest in the bin was driven over for a try and as the game entered the final quarter Pats were wobbling in the tight and loose play.
Conditions were by now so awful that both sides resorted to the old fashioned kick and rush and handling moves were forgotten. Wilcox had an ambitious dropped goal attempt charged down and Reds hoofed the greasy pill seventy metres down the slope but it slithered over the dead ball line tantalisingly close to the despairing chaser.
Both sides had emptied the replacement benches and Pats had replacement Chris Downes yellow carded for stepping into the path of a flying winger. Reds punished his foolish misdemeanour with a try for skipper Tom Clarke converted by Freeth.
Pats had survived a really touch encounter with a good win but need to use their two remaining league games to sharpen up their finishing skills before the all important play-off match on 17th April.
By Bob Ellis.
Man of the Match - Rob Fidler
