Brentwood RFC
Match Report – Saturday 24 October 2009
Stevenage 15 - Brentwood 13

AFTER last week's heroics Brentwood turned in a poor performance to lose narrowly in a game they could have won. Director of Rugby Steve Killington was forced to make further team changes as illness and injuries continued to affect selection with John Beith continuing at scrum-half and Aston Bevans-Royston joining his brother Joel in the front row.

In wet conditions Stevenage kicked off with the advantage of breeze and sun and for the opening 10 minutes the home team had the best of the territory and possession. However in this early period Brentwood looked positive and committed to defending their try-line. But as the half progressed the urgency in the pack dried up, allowing their stronger opponents to gain advantage in all aspects of forward play. Despite early breaks by Stuart Green and Josh Woodcock, Brentwood were mainly contained in their own half.

The first score unexpectedly went to Stevenage when their centre kicked for his left winger to catch and touch down. The difficult conversion missed, the visitors tried to settle down but elementary mistakes and poor tackling stopped them from making any decisive progress.
A sudden breakaway move saw winger Andy Lloyd open play with Stuart Green. The full-back developed the move before releasing winger James Cowen to round his opposite number and touch down for a well-worked try in the left corner. Fly-half Charlie Chambers' conversion attempt came back off a post to leave the score at 5-5.

Continued poor tackling saw Stevenage back in Brentwood's 22 and scoring their second try. A maul on the left touch-line, 10 metres out, saw the home side win the ball and stroll through the visitors' blind side defence. With the conversion missed Stevenage were now 10-5 ahead as the first half ended. A mediocre performance by both teams left players and supporters alike strangely quiet. Another slow start by Brentwood left them uncommitted and lacking the necessary urgency to take the game to their opponents.

The second half started with a second kickable penalty being refused as Brentwood kicked for touch despite the continuing poor line-out performance by the pack. Again Stevenage cleared their lines and six easy points had been given away. With promising attacks breaking down through mainly poor passing, Brentwood were nonetheless gradually obtaining more of the game. Stalwart and under-10 coach Andy Cappaert replaced a strangely subdued Andy Lloyd as the visitors changed their line-out thrower to Paul Geary.

Immediately skipper Tom King won his line-out and subsequent play saw Brentwood win a penalty in front of the posts. Chambers obliged and the visitors were only 8-10 down. Aston Bevans-Royston was replaced by Dean Cadby as an aimless kick upfield was immediately used for a Stevenage counter-attack and a try against the run of play. Brentwood's revival was halted but quick movement of the ball by the backs saw Cowen again use his finishing power to score his second try. Unconverted the score remained at 15-13 to Stevenage until the final whistle.

This was a poor game of rugby which Brentwood should and could have won but errors, lack of urgency especially in the first half and poor strategy in refusing two kickable penalties contributed to the team's lacklustre performance.