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Sat 13 Apr 2019
Holt RFC
1st XV
31
22
NO TO BE THIS TIME BUT COACH EDDIE GOOBY SAID HE IS SO PROUD OF THE SQUAD THIS YEAR
Eddie Gooby22 Apr 2019 - 19:34
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East London made to many mistakes and the fightback came to late
No joy in promotion play-off
East London narrowly missed out on promotion to London 2 North East when they went down 31-22 to Holt in a tightly contested play-off game.
Head coach Eddie Gooby was proud of his London 3 Essex runners-up who had to play the Norfolk side on their home patch thanks to slightly inferior win ratio over the course of the season.
East London controlled possession and territory in the opening phases with number 8 Dan Bracken repeatedly effective in carrying the ball from the back of an advancing scrum. Holt needed some determined defence to prevent the organised opposition forwards from crossing their line.
Fly-half Ryan Billinghurst missed a penalty from distance on seven minutes that would have opened the scoring and it was against the run of play that Holt that opened the scoring. The home scrum-half ghosted in from 30 metres to score under the posts with the try converted.
Four minutes later they added a second in the right corner which was not converted and they added a third on 34 minutes which was converted.
Just before half-time the score became a fairer reflection of play when a series of concerted drives by the East London forwards led to a try by prop Mantas Urbonavicius. It was not converted and the score at the break was 19-5.
It had been a high tempo game and it was evident that fitness would count and the maroon and blues grew in confidence as the second half began. Full back Jack Roach was unlucky not to score in the left corner before Billinghurst narrowed the gap on 54 minutes with a penalty from distance.
Centre Bill Brown was yellow carded three minutes later for what was judged aggressive behaviour as he tried to protect a teammate on the floor. It only served to inspire the visitors and the impressive Urbonavicius scored his second try which Billinghurst converted taking the score to 19-15.
Two decisive strikes from Holt then secured the game. An unconverted try on 67 minutes extended the lead. Then with East London pressing, a Holt turnover under their posts resulted in the home right winger running the length of the pitch to score under the posts with five minutes remaining. The try was converted.
East London failed to give up and a last minute try by replacement forward Ben Stern was converted by Billinghurst for a final 31-22 scoreline.
Coach Gooby said: “Holt said this was their toughest game of the season and I am proud of all that we have achieved. We’ve improved so much and in the end it all came down to a few missed tackles and errors which cost us the game. We bossed the second half but Holt held on. We go into the Essex Intermediate Cup final in a couple of weeks against Romford & Gidea Park in good spirits.”
East London 1st XV versus Holt RFC: 1. Ben Hogan; 2. Lewis Bourke; 3. Mantas Urbonavicius; Luke Staples-Preston; 5. Jack Millard; 6. Nick Parrott; 7. Simon Edscer; 8. Dan Brackrn; 10. Ryan Billinghurst; 11. Ryan Exley; 12. Bill Brown; 13. Kevin O’Donoghue: 14, Ed Brown; 15. Jack Roach. Replacements: 16. Paddy Coman; 17. Eoin Kelly; 18. Ben Stern; 19. Roger Ng
East London narrowly missed out on promotion to London 2 North East when they went down 31-22 to Holt in a tightly contested play-off game.
Head coach Eddie Gooby was proud of his London 3 Essex runners-up who had to play the Norfolk side on their home patch thanks to slightly inferior win ratio over the course of the season.
East London controlled possession and territory in the opening phases with number 8 Dan Bracken repeatedly effective in carrying the ball from the back of an advancing scrum. Holt needed some determined defence to prevent the organised opposition forwards from crossing their line.
Fly-half Ryan Billinghurst missed a penalty from distance on seven minutes that would have opened the scoring and it was against the run of play that Holt that opened the scoring. The home scrum-half ghosted in from 30 metres to score under the posts with the try converted.
Four minutes later they added a second in the right corner which was not converted and they added a third on 34 minutes which was converted.
Just before half-time the score became a fairer reflection of play when a series of concerted drives by the East London forwards led to a try by prop Mantas Urbonavicius. It was not converted and the score at the break was 19-5.
It had been a high tempo game and it was evident that fitness would count and the maroon and blues grew in confidence as the second half began. Full back Jack Roach was unlucky not to score in the left corner before Billinghurst narrowed the gap on 54 minutes with a penalty from distance.
Centre Bill Brown was yellow carded three minutes later for what was judged aggressive behaviour as he tried to protect a teammate on the floor. It only served to inspire the visitors and the impressive Urbonavicius scored his second try which Billinghurst converted taking the score to 19-15.
Two decisive strikes from Holt then secured the game. An unconverted try on 67 minutes extended the lead. Then with East London pressing, a Holt turnover under their posts resulted in the home right winger running the length of the pitch to score under the posts with five minutes remaining. The try was converted.
East London failed to give up and a last minute try by replacement forward Ben Stern was converted by Billinghurst for a final 31-22 scoreline.
Coach Gooby said: “Holt said this was their toughest game of the season and I am proud of all that we have achieved. We’ve improved so much and in the end it all came down to a few missed tackles and errors which cost us the game. We bossed the second half but Holt held on. We go into the Essex Intermediate Cup final in a couple of weeks against Romford & Gidea Park in good spirits.”
East London 1st XV versus Holt RFC: 1. Ben Hogan; 2. Lewis Bourke; 3. Mantas Urbonavicius; Luke Staples-Preston; 5. Jack Millard; 6. Nick Parrott; 7. Simon Edscer; 8. Dan Brackrn; 10. Ryan Billinghurst; 11. Ryan Exley; 12. Bill Brown; 13. Kevin O’Donoghue: 14, Ed Brown; 15. Jack Roach. Replacements: 16. Paddy Coman; 17. Eoin Kelly; 18. Ben Stern; 19. Roger Ng
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