Wanderers V Old Edwardians

Saturday 22^nd January 2005

Worcester Wanderers 14 –v- Edwardians 9

Wanderers kept up their momentum by beating Edwardians to go above them in the League.  The win was made sweeter following the unexpected defeat at Edwardians last October in a game played on a waterlogged pitch in monsoon conditions with dubious referring.

Once again about 200 spectators were treated to fluid and exciting rugby with both sides testing each other’s defence.  After 20 minutes Wanderers pressure with Edwardians constant offside play was punished when the referee awarded the first penalty. Joph Young calmly stroked the ball over to give his team the lead.

 Both teams played competitive rugby with Wanderers having the edge though the creative kicking off Outside Half Gareth Hughes and the pace of the Wanderers backs and stiff defence by the Forwards.  With the injured Orgee brothers unavailable the No. 8 spot and Openside positions were taken by Phil Scott and the Ade Farmer, both of whom harried and stalked the opposition forcing them into committing errors.  Hooker Dave Shaw was his usual terrier like self and led his pack by the example.

 The score was 3-0 at half time and with the restart Edwardians attempted to force a score but were held up by Wanderers who counterattacked with regularity and purpose causing desperate Edwardian defending which resulted in a 2^nd penalty in front of the posts which Young kicked to stretch the lead to 6-0.

 Wanderers attacked and attacked and looked dominant until Edwardians capitalised on the only slack defending by the Wanderers 5 metres out enabling Steve Miller to evade tackles to score in the corner.  The conversion was narrowly missed by Raisbeck.

 At 6-5 the pressure was on the Wanderers who restarted and continued attacking with linking runs between Full Back Mark Duffield and Wingers Jim Callow and Chris Jenkinson pushing well into the Edwardians half their efforts gaining a 3^rd penalty for Young to take it to 9-5.

 Although the Edwardian players were larger in stature than the Wanderers some fierce tackling negated their weight advantage and they were largely contained in their own half. 

 In the injury time a loping Hughes kick bounced awkwardly for the opposition Full Back and his lack of urgency with the clearance kick was seized on by a sprinting Ade Farmer.  His pace enabled him to charge down the ball which went loose and despite desperate attempts by the defender to make amends Dave Hill scooped up the tumbling ball to dive over for a well earned try.  Young’s conversion attempt was slightly off target but it made no difference as the final whistle went a few minutes later for a well deserved Wanderers win at 14-5.

 He win takes them above Edwardians in the League one point behind Keresley in 2^nd place following their defeat 27-5 at Solihull.

Press Release

Michael Clarke

Chairman

Worcester Wanderers RFC