London northeast division 2 SWF 43 Enfield Ignatians 36

The lads entertained newcomers to Saltcoats when Enfield Ignatians were the opposition for their first ever time in what was the lads last home game in a very successful 2013. Enfield were fresh from a great win over Chelmsford so this was going to be no walk in the park.
SWF started very brightly and were ahead after 5 minutes when Lewis Gilbert crossed the line and Ryan Cumbers converted to get things going. Shortly after, a second try from SWF came when Enfield who tried to run the ball out of there own 22 saw Adam Brown intercept a wayward pass and score under the posts again converted by Cumbers to leave SWF up 14 - 0 with only ten minutes gone. Enfield were trying to get their dangerous back line into the game at every opportunity but good defence from SWF saw them thwarted time and again. They did how ever score from a penalty in the15th minute, and for the ensuing 15 minutes both teams cancelled each other out until the 30th minute when a move which involved forwards and backs saw winger Duggan score a great team try. SWF again pressured Enfield until the half time whistle and this produced two further tries both scored by the very impressive SWF scrum half Dukelow. First one saw him control a 5 metre scrum and when Bull slipped the ball to him he was in, the second try came about when SWF again stopped the Enfield back line breaking out of their 22 and turning over the ball which found its way to Dukelow who crossed, this one again converted by Cumbers. This left the score at halftime SWF 31 Enfield 3. At this point there did not seem to be anyway back for Enfield.

However the second half turned into a white knuckle ride as Enfield launched their comeback as early as the 5th minute of the second half, after a brawl SWF were down to 13 men and Enfield converted this advantage with their first try of the game. SWF straightaway replied with a try of their own through captain Gittos, which Cumbers converted and it seemed they would hold Enfield in check. They did hold them back until the 60th minute until 10 minutes of mayhem saw Enfield score 4 tries without response from SWF. Quite simply the Enfield back line finally got into the game and with skill and momentum almost stole the game, but with the scores at 38 - 36 to SWF it was perhaps fitting that scrum half Dukelow scored in the corner in the 72nd minute to give SWF the victory. A real seesaw affair with both teams having real purple patches and defences dispensing Christmas presents all over the pitch, both teams will be relatively happy with the points they took.

Squad - Gittos captain, Langley, Murphy, Wilson, Morgan, Gilbert, Bull, Tighe, Dukelow, Cumbers, Apthorp, Brown, Duggan, Rawinski, Harper, Pickworth, Lockwood, Searles,

Next week sees the first team travel to Chelmsford for their last game before the Christmas break