Cup defeat for Quins Amateurs

By Hillary Carr
October 18 2005

Harlequin Amateurs must feel that history is repeating itself. Two seasons ago when newly promoted to Herts & Middlesex Division 2, the Amateurs suffered a dreadful start to their campaign by losing their first five league matches and exiting the Powergen Cup in the second round.

This was as a result of being blighted by injuries, lack of player availability and the loss of the captain early in the season.

The same fate seems to have befallen the team again this season – newly promoted, injuries by the score, lack of consistent player availability and captain Ross Webster out with a suspected fractured ankle. It’s been tough on coaches Rod Jermy and Shaun Terrey, who are struggling to put out the same side week in, week out and get any continuity of players and consistency in playmaking.

So it was a test last Saturday (15th October) when Quins Amateurs met Lockside, from the same division, in the second round of the Powergen Junior Vase. Quins were eager to make amends for the last season’s cup defeat at the hands of Lockside, and to prove to someone with the same league record (played four, won one) that they would be a much stronger force to be reckoned with, in both cup and league competitions.

The first quarter was fairly nip and tuck between the teams. Lockside pack drilled in the loose play but were unable to get their backs away, while Quins showed good defensive work as is customary, but were unable to break the oppositions defence.

Then in the 25th minute, Adam Wallace at full back scythed through the line in a textbook move from the Quins backs to break the deadlock with a try that Donald Baines converted. The feeling was that this would steady Quins and allow them to forge ahead, but that’s when the fitness started to tell and the errors began to appear in the game.

Lineout ball went awry, the turnovers occurred and the penalty count mounted. On 35 minutes, Lockside scored an equalising try and conversion after a strong drive up the middle of the field by their forwards. Shortly after this, Jon Fairweather was penalised and sin-binned that reversed a penalty given in Quins favour. After that, Lockside scored their second try and conversion on the stroke of half-time with Quins pack reduced in numbers.

Hugall came on at scrum half, Devitt at hooker and Smith on the wing. However, the second half followed a similar pattern to the first with the two sides squaring up to one another, often without either side dominating. Thompson and Wilcox made a lot of ground from the base of the scrum and loose play, while Nick Glanville was strong in defence on the blind side of the scrum.

Pressure from Quins led to a penalty converted by Baines midway through the half, to make the score 10-14 and the Amateurs, urged on by their supporters, looked like they might just steal the game in the last quarter.

Scrum half Hugall was then harshly sin-binned for over-zealous rucking when a Lockside player was killing the ball, and so the reduced Amateurs backline had little opportunity to capitalise on the Lockside three-quarters, who were making appalling handling errors. In the end though, the visitors were the winners by 10-14.

Harlequin Amateurs XV: 1. Rose, 2. Jermy, 3. Fairweather, 4. Ricketts, 5. Roberts, 6. Glanville, 7. Thompson, 8. Wilcox, 9. Wigginton, 10. Terrey, 11. Fretwell, 12 Baines, 13. Hurst, 14. Bassett-Cross, 15. Wallace

Replacements: 16. Newman 17. Cooper 18. Hugall 19. Devitt

Scorers:
Try: Wallace
Conversion: Baines
Penalty: Baines

Harlequin Amateurs are grateful for the sponsorship and support of PSL, Telcap, Hero and HOPA members