Momentum gathering by the mighty fours after a shaky start

After some recent fantastic performances over the last few weeks, I felt it only right that the weekend’s performance be etched in the history books. This week’s opponents were Chelmsford 3’s, who call themselves the Undertakers. We’ve enjoyed some good battles with them over the years so were expecting a strong test. We travelled down there with a strong side, looking mostly familiar but with a few new and returning faces, such as Big Bas, young Alf, Harry ‘Scrumalot’ Davies, Steve ‘Action Man’ Differ and Mike for the first time since becoming a father for the second time (god help us).
After the usual frenetic warm up where we managed to puff ourselves out in a new season record of 20 minutes, we kicked off. The glorious leader opted to play uphill first half in what he hoped would be a tactical masterstroke, expecting the (slightly) older Chelmsford side to fade in the second half. We received the ball to start but didn’t look after it as well as we should have done, coughing the ball up and then the oppo ran in a close range try which they converted.
This seemed to spur the boys in to action, and we started to slowly make our way up the pitch, breaking the line a few times and making some positive carries. We also had our first crack at their wily pack, Scrumalot looking very comfortable against a prop who was probably nearly three times the age of him and knew all the tricks in the book. It was George Cast who levelled the scores, after some good work between him and the other backs, Hey Adam adding the extras.
We continued to push after tying the game, Differ made some good progress up the wing until he was laid out by what must be the muscliest player in the entire league, although he jumped back up and later berated me for giving him a 20 minute break in the second half so obviously no lasting effect. Manor then pulled a try ahead courtesy of yours truly, reliving my glory days from out on the wing by latching on to a Cast offload which was to my toes. I then celebrated to the rapturous applause of my teammates, which I’ve been told I modestly accepted. (The assist from George goes some way to offsetting the uproar he caused in the dressing room by becoming the first 4s player to play in leggings, a heinous crime.)
Chelmsford then got one back before half time after some ball watching at a five metre penalty, probably still awestruck at the try they had just seen. We had some good chances to go in ahead, Max’s cheeky box kick was almost gathered by Mike but he managed to fall over before getting there, still digesting his curry and ten beers from the night before plus the enormous Galaxy bar he consumed in the back of Differ’s car.
Going into half time we were full of confidence, having kept the scores level despite playing uphill. Hatchy came on as well as young Hayden, which gave me the perfect opportunity to retire to the warmth of my subs coat where I feel most at home. Paul Porter took over the reigns on the pitch, who proceeded to moan about the dirty tricks the opposition prop was doing when he was in fact doing the very same on the other side.
Manor then used the downhill track to their advantage, steadily feeding Vlad and Big Bas with a good supply of crash balls, Bas getting himself on the scoresheet after a long time out which was great to see. However Hayden was forced off with a nasty ankle sprain, which was a real shame as he was looking very comfortable against a much older pack and has got better week on week in his first full season of senior rugby, get well soon! Martin came on to replace him and Scrumalot moved to backrow.
Tries in the second half were scored by Hatchy who got two, one of them being a great solo try where he skinned three players, Dan Robinson and Max also getting on the scoresheet. Mike also has a wonderful tale to tell about another one of the tries which gets more and more unbelievable as it goes on until he says he actually passed it which is the most astonishing part of it all, no one has come forward to claim this try too which doesn’t help his cause.
Big Victor then came on to provide some ballast in the second row, Disco Stu also retiring to the comfort of the long coats. Chelmsford then got a few back, but the full-time result was never in doubt and the referee blew up to end the game at 47-28. I’m not entirely sure that is the correct one due to a combination of my dodgy accounting, the referee losing his pencil and the fact that Adam’s kicking isn’t all that but we’ll take it none the less. Thanks to Chelmsford for being accommodating hosts yet again, their club referee who was very good and of course to the Manor boys for continuing to put in solid shifts, week in week out which makes my job a hell of a lot easier.
We now turn our attention to local rivals Wanstead at home, I’ve heard even the Chairman wants to get in on the act and play for the mighty fours!