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Sat 02 Mar 2019 ·  London 3 Essex
Old Cooperians
1st XV
13
37
5 POINTS SECURED IN A TOUGH GAME
Eddie Gooby4 Mar 2019 - 20:49
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Coops push East London all the way until the last 15 minutes
Sixth league victory in a row keeps East London second in London 3 Essex
Seven tries by seven different players saw East London tighten their grip on second place in London 3 Essex with a deserved 13-37 win away at Old Cooperians on Saturday, writes SIMON CRICK.
Coach Eddie Gooby was happy enough with the victory saying: "The scoreline does not tell the full story because we had to dig deep to beat a good Old Cooperians side. The game was very physical and fast and both teams showed great skill with ball in hand."
It was only in the final 15 mins that East London pulled away after being behind at half time 6-5.
East London played uphill first and received the kick-off. Second row Rob Yiannakou was taken in the air and from the penalty and subsequent phases of play the visitors opened the scoring on eight minutes. Right wing Sean Cooper broke down the line and his perfectly timed pass set up outside centre Jack Roach to score. The conversion was missed.
Despite good pressure and playing uphill and into the strong wind they couldn't add to the score and went behind to penalties on 11 and 21 minutes and trailed at the interval.
East London won the ball from the kick-off and drove hard through the forwards. Several pick up and goes were defended by the home side but they ran out of defenders and number eight Dan Bracken scored the early second half try which regained the lead for East London. The conversion was missed. Replacement forward Jack Millard extended the lead on 57 minutes. When the home side kicked to clear from their five metres line, flanker Simon Edscer charged the ball down. Millard picked up to score but the conversion was missed.
A converted try on 65 minutes by the home side narrowed the gap to four points but scrum half Will Brown settled the visitors' nerves with a try. He spotted an attempted long pass on the East London 22 metres line and intercepted to run in unopposed. Full back Max Stanyard converted.
With confidence now high flanker Edscer scored the try he deserved and then a cross field kick by fly half Ryan Billinghurst saw Yiannakou barge past a static defence to win the chase and score.
Winger Cooper put the icing on the cake with the final play. He intercepted a pass on his own five metres line, juggled and controlled the ball and ran the length of the pitch to score.
The victory was the sixth in a row in the league for East London and with Epping Upper Clapton all but confirmed as champions with 84 points the maroon and blues look to secure the hold on second place with a home game at the Memorial Park in West Ham against bottom club Millwall on Saturday. East London with 66 points are currently three points above third place Chelmsford.
East London 1st XV versus Old Cooperians: 1. Ben Hogan; 2. Lewis Bourke; 3. Mantas Urbonavicius; 4. Rob Yiannakou; 5. Luke Staples-Preston; 6. Nick Parrott; 7. Simon Edscer; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Will Brown; 10. Ryan Billinghurst; 11. Bill Brown; 12. Lachlan McKenzie; 13. Jack Roach; 14. Sean Cooper; 15. Max Stanyard. Replacements: 16. Paddy Coman; 17. Eoin Kelly; 18. Jack Millard.
Seven tries by seven different players saw East London tighten their grip on second place in London 3 Essex with a deserved 13-37 win away at Old Cooperians on Saturday, writes SIMON CRICK.
Coach Eddie Gooby was happy enough with the victory saying: "The scoreline does not tell the full story because we had to dig deep to beat a good Old Cooperians side. The game was very physical and fast and both teams showed great skill with ball in hand."
It was only in the final 15 mins that East London pulled away after being behind at half time 6-5.
East London played uphill first and received the kick-off. Second row Rob Yiannakou was taken in the air and from the penalty and subsequent phases of play the visitors opened the scoring on eight minutes. Right wing Sean Cooper broke down the line and his perfectly timed pass set up outside centre Jack Roach to score. The conversion was missed.
Despite good pressure and playing uphill and into the strong wind they couldn't add to the score and went behind to penalties on 11 and 21 minutes and trailed at the interval.
East London won the ball from the kick-off and drove hard through the forwards. Several pick up and goes were defended by the home side but they ran out of defenders and number eight Dan Bracken scored the early second half try which regained the lead for East London. The conversion was missed. Replacement forward Jack Millard extended the lead on 57 minutes. When the home side kicked to clear from their five metres line, flanker Simon Edscer charged the ball down. Millard picked up to score but the conversion was missed.
A converted try on 65 minutes by the home side narrowed the gap to four points but scrum half Will Brown settled the visitors' nerves with a try. He spotted an attempted long pass on the East London 22 metres line and intercepted to run in unopposed. Full back Max Stanyard converted.
With confidence now high flanker Edscer scored the try he deserved and then a cross field kick by fly half Ryan Billinghurst saw Yiannakou barge past a static defence to win the chase and score.
Winger Cooper put the icing on the cake with the final play. He intercepted a pass on his own five metres line, juggled and controlled the ball and ran the length of the pitch to score.
The victory was the sixth in a row in the league for East London and with Epping Upper Clapton all but confirmed as champions with 84 points the maroon and blues look to secure the hold on second place with a home game at the Memorial Park in West Ham against bottom club Millwall on Saturday. East London with 66 points are currently three points above third place Chelmsford.
East London 1st XV versus Old Cooperians: 1. Ben Hogan; 2. Lewis Bourke; 3. Mantas Urbonavicius; 4. Rob Yiannakou; 5. Luke Staples-Preston; 6. Nick Parrott; 7. Simon Edscer; 8. Dan Bracken; 9. Will Brown; 10. Ryan Billinghurst; 11. Bill Brown; 12. Lachlan McKenzie; 13. Jack Roach; 14. Sean Cooper; 15. Max Stanyard. Replacements: 16. Paddy Coman; 17. Eoin Kelly; 18. Jack Millard.
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