You have to go right back to 11 April 2015 to find the last time that Eton Manor Ist team won a league match. Since then they have drawn one and lost 28, that’s was over 2300 minutes of rugby, but today all that changed. With the visit of Ruislip, who like Manor had not won either of their two league matches this season, Manor finally got the win they so desperately wanted.

Manor kicked off the game playing with a strong breeze and kept Ruislip pinned in their half with driving forward runs but just as they were building a promising attack they gave away a penalty allowing Ruislip to work their way into Manors half. Here Manor defended well eventually turning the ball over allowing Nick Horton to send a long kick into Ruislip’s half which bounced into touch. Ruislip had the first lineout of the match, but Rory Moore got in front of the visitor’s jumper and stole the ball, with turnover ball scrumhalf Reece Reed spotted a gap at the back of the lineout which he darted through before he chipped ahead towards Ruislip’s line. Their winger was first to the ball, but couldn’t control it allowing Reed to gather the ball and despite being tackled on the line managed to dot the ball down for Manors first try. The difficult conversion was missed but after 6 minutes Manor led 5-0.

Manor continued to have the better of territory where debutant Misiona Evagelia and Barney Newbury both made good ground, but again as the attack progressed Manor were let down by poor handling, something that would blight their play throughout the match. From a knock on Ruislip won their scrum inside Manors half, then from their first attack of the game, they work the ball into Manors 22, a chip ahead saw their wing forward win the race to the ball for their first score. With the conversion missed the match was tied at 5-5 after 12 minutes and things weren’t helped with the referee yellow carding Manors captain Tryson Goodchild for a trip on a Ruislip player in the build up to their score.

Numbers were evened up almost immediately when Reed was taken out in the air when challenging for a high ball. He then took a shot at goal from 45 out, the ball sailed through the posts giving Manor back the lead, 8-5 with 15 minutes played.

Both sides were playing disjointed rugby and looked like two sides who were desperate for a win. It was Ruislip who took the advantage after winning a scrum close to Manors line. With Manor a man light in the pack, the Ruislip scrum, who were under pressure for most of the game, won clean ball allowing them to move the ball swiftly along the backline for their winger to squeeze in at the corner. With the touchline conversion again missed, the visitors retook the lead 8-10 after 22 minutes.

Manor soon restored their lead when after a series of driving runs, inside Ruislip’s 22 the won a scrum. Reed darted blind then fed the supporting Goodchild who had just returned to the fray, he was stopped short but the ball was fed back to the charging Evagelia who broke through the first tackle but looked to have been stopped just short of the line by two covering defenders, but he had the strength to reach out and score. This time Reed was successful with the conversion taking the score to 15-10 with a little over 10 minutes of the first half still to play.

Manor continued to control the game and the next score some came Manors way, from the restart Matt Oaks drove the ball forward then set it up allowing the ball to go along Manors back line, here Ben Lockyer chipped the ball ahead and Manors chase was good and they harried Ruislip as they tried to run the ball back, taking the ball carrier to the ground where he held on to the ball giving away another kickable penalty. Reed again was successful with the kick taking Manors lead to 18-10.

Manor were still sloppy in their play and straight from the restart gave away a penalty allowing Ruislip to kick the ball deep into Manors 22 for an attacking lineout. This time it was Tom O’Connor who stole the throw in allowing Rhys Davis-Horne to clear the ball into Ruislip’s half.
Manor hadn’t finished attacking as they drove the ball into Ruislip’s 22 with George Cosma and Evagelia punching holes in Ruislip’s defence, eventually the pressure told and Manor were awarded a penalty in front of the posts. Manor turned down the easy three points and opted for a scrum, here the ball was secured allowing Newbury to feed Reed who darted towards the line, when he was stopped he fed the supporting Newbury who managed to score despite the attentions of two Ruislip players. The conversion was missed and the ref blew for halftime, Manor held a good lead 23-10, but the second half would be testing as they would now be playing into the strong breeze.

Although playing into the wind, Manor had the better of the opening few minutes of the second half with play mainly inside Ruislip’s half. In fact Manor thought they had created the first try scoring opportunity when from a scrum Manor moved the ball quickly along the line where Andrew Connors broke through a couple of tackles and was heading towards the line when the ref brought play back for a forward pass. Manor continued to have the better of possession and territory, but basic mistakes were hampering their efforts to win the match.

Manor handed the initiative to Ruislip when yet another attack broke down when they knocked the ball on. This time though Manor again put the Ruislip scrum under pressure and a strike against the head by Goodchild gave Manor back possession, with ball in hand Manor drove forward with Connors again causing the defence problems before the ball was fed to Max Murray on the wing, he made ground before being stopped short of the line but he managed to pass out of the tackle allowing James Osbourn to cross the line only for play to be brought back again by the ref for another forward pass.

Manor would rue the missed opportunities as Ruislip now had a period of possession and attacked Manors line. Manor defended well and thought they had weathered the storm when a Ruislip player seemed to have knocked the ball on. The ref decided that it was a Manor knock on and gave the scrum to the visitors. This time their creaking scrum held allowing their No 8 to pick up from the base of the scrum and crash over for their third try of the match. With a successful conversion Ruislip had reduce the deficit to 23-17 after 25 minutes of the second half.

Manor responded straight from the kick off, with Ruislip failing to deal with the kick, Goodchild pounced on the loose ball and drove forward to the edge of Ruislip’s 22, from here Manor picked and drove the ball forward until yet another knock on halted Manors charge.
Although Ruislip cleared the ball from the subsequent scrum, Manor continued to attack, moving the ball along the line and out to winger Ollie Smith, he chipped ahead and as he chased the ball the Ruislip fly half tripped him. A penalty was awarded to Manor and the Ruislip player was sent to the sin bin. With the ball kicked to touch 6 meters from Ruislip’s line, Manor won their throw in and began a driving maul but as again they moved towards the try line they were penalised by the ref allowing Ruislip to clear the danger.
Still Manor continued to have the better of things, again winning a Ruislip lineout Manor moved the ball along the line allowing Connors to break tackles and take the ball to Ruislip’s 22 where the Manor forwards continue to drive at Ruislip’s defence and when the ball was brought to ground 6 meters from the line Reed passed the ball out to the wing where Oaks took the pass and went over the line unopposed for Manors bonus point fourth try. Reed was unsuccessful with the conversion but Manor had edged further ahead 28-17.

Manor then struck the decisive blow when direct from the restart Evagelia caught the ball and drove powerfully in field into Ruislip’s half breaking tackles as he went, the angle of attack was switched as he passed to Osbourn who cut a line out towards the touchline, taking the pass he then fed Reed who was outside him, Reed then had the pace to beat the covering defenders and run the ball in from 40 meters out. Manor had now surely wrapped up the game with Reed successful with the conversion taking the score to 35-17 with 8 minutes left to play.

To their credit Ruislip didn’t give up and as the game drew to a close they attacked Manors line and despite some solid defending from the home team, Ruislip eventually crossed the line for a deserved bonus point try. With the successful conversion last play of the match the ref brought the game to a close with Manor victorious 35-24.

Manor had at last won a league match, hopefully now they can move on and start playing the rugby that they are capable of. Manor could of and possibly should have scored a good few more points and will need to cut out the basic handling errors that on another day could cost them dear. It was a good day all round for Manor with all 4 teams winning, the seconds with a great win away to a dangerous Thurrock side. No doubt there will be a number of players putting themselves forward for first team selection this week so yet again selection will be interesting.

Next week see’s Manor travel to newly promoted Old Fullerians who had began life in the higher league with two victories including a comfortable win against Ruislip, although this week they found themselves on the end of a 50 point drubbing at Brentwood, so they will be keen to put in a strong performance against us, Manor will have to raise their game yet again to secure a second victory of the season.