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EAST LONDON 1st XV 3 - KINGS CROSS STEELERS 1st XV 17
Gary Bird8 Dec 2018 - 12:14
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First home defeat of the season
A below par performance by East London saw them lose at home for the first time this season after a gruelling battle against clubhouse rivals Kings Cross Steelers.
The 3-17 victory for the away side under the floodlights at Memorial Park, West Ham, on Friday was the first time this season East London had failed to register a try.
They began well as both sides adapted to the heavy conditions. On 11 minutes sustained pressure by the pack almost broke the deadlock but a try-scoring opportunity was lost when the ball was judged to have been knocked on.
On 19 minutes second row Luke Staples-Preston was harshly penalised and Steelers took the lead from the penalty with the offender yellow carded.
Fly-half Ryan Billinghurst levelled the scores with a penalty in front of the posts on 26 minutes, but Steelers scored the opening try on 29 minutes while still having a man advantage from the sin-binning. The try was converted. They added another just before the break to lead by 14 points.
The second-half was dominated by East London but they were thwarted by solid Steelers defending. They weren’t helped on 56 minutes when right wing Sean Cooper was yellow carded for what was judged to be a deliberate knock on.
The Steelers missed a penalty on the hour and also had a player yellow carded. East London thought they had scored on 69 minutes but full back Max Stanyard was ruled to have been held up over the try line. Cooper almost scored in the right corner but his run was thwarted by a last ditch tackle. Steelers ended the game with 14 men with another player yellow carded.
Head coach Eddie Gooby said: “Congratulations to the Steelers. They defended very well and despite a lot of pressure we just couldn’t take the opportunities we created.”
East London will look to resume winning ways with a London 3 Essex league trip to Campion on Saturday as the season reaches its half-way point.
East London 1st XV vs Kings Cross Steelers: 1. Paddy Coman; 2. Ben Hogan; 3. Mantas Urbonavicius; 4. Eoin Kelly; 5. Luke Staples-Preston; 6. Simon Edscer; 7. Nick Parrott; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Alex Mylchreest; 10. Ryan Billinghurst; 11. Nick Finch; 12. Will Brown; 13. Kevin O’Donoghue; 14. Sean Cooper; 15. Max Stanyard. Replacements: 16. Dave Gibson; 17. Ed Brown; 18.Murray Dunn.
The 3-17 victory for the away side under the floodlights at Memorial Park, West Ham, on Friday was the first time this season East London had failed to register a try.
They began well as both sides adapted to the heavy conditions. On 11 minutes sustained pressure by the pack almost broke the deadlock but a try-scoring opportunity was lost when the ball was judged to have been knocked on.
On 19 minutes second row Luke Staples-Preston was harshly penalised and Steelers took the lead from the penalty with the offender yellow carded.
Fly-half Ryan Billinghurst levelled the scores with a penalty in front of the posts on 26 minutes, but Steelers scored the opening try on 29 minutes while still having a man advantage from the sin-binning. The try was converted. They added another just before the break to lead by 14 points.
The second-half was dominated by East London but they were thwarted by solid Steelers defending. They weren’t helped on 56 minutes when right wing Sean Cooper was yellow carded for what was judged to be a deliberate knock on.
The Steelers missed a penalty on the hour and also had a player yellow carded. East London thought they had scored on 69 minutes but full back Max Stanyard was ruled to have been held up over the try line. Cooper almost scored in the right corner but his run was thwarted by a last ditch tackle. Steelers ended the game with 14 men with another player yellow carded.
Head coach Eddie Gooby said: “Congratulations to the Steelers. They defended very well and despite a lot of pressure we just couldn’t take the opportunities we created.”
East London will look to resume winning ways with a London 3 Essex league trip to Campion on Saturday as the season reaches its half-way point.
East London 1st XV vs Kings Cross Steelers: 1. Paddy Coman; 2. Ben Hogan; 3. Mantas Urbonavicius; 4. Eoin Kelly; 5. Luke Staples-Preston; 6. Simon Edscer; 7. Nick Parrott; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Alex Mylchreest; 10. Ryan Billinghurst; 11. Nick Finch; 12. Will Brown; 13. Kevin O’Donoghue; 14. Sean Cooper; 15. Max Stanyard. Replacements: 16. Dave Gibson; 17. Ed Brown; 18.Murray Dunn.
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