Cambridge at home: Week Twelve

Grimsby Gentlemen 17: Cambridge Pirates 24

Referee: Jeff Dahl ***, very patient with the other team.

Venue: Alway Field

Weather: nice, 25 degrees, strongish wind to the north (made a difference to the game)

Attendance: Not the 500 expected

Celebs: Donny MacPherson made a surprise visit and intends to play this year. Looks fit as in the photo with a possible new young player, Ryan Henderson, Steve Catagin, Greg Russell and Donny.



Also present was former president Dean Nasby. who was immediately put to work as a line judge which was difficult.



Also in attendance was Frank Schilte, former social member Eddie Vieira, Larry Jaraslawski, Jim Leavens, Adam Wilson and Ben. Also seen around were Alex Easton and Sean Padulo. Andy did not show.

President`s Report: Cambridge is at the top of the table and beat us 66 to 10 in the away game last June. We expected a good set of quick backs and they did score early. They would really have been dangerous if they could have passed the ball well. Strong center work led to a second converted try in the first half but the Gentlemen took over near the end of the half by dominating in the forwards.

Half time score: Grimsby 0: Cambridge 14

Second half, new game. With confidence building with a strong scrum, we came back with a nice run and a try early on in the half touched down by Vic. The convert by Derrick was off the post. Continued forward possession and pressure and a few soccer kicks by the centers led Derrick touching down and which he converted. With less than twenty minutes to go, against the run of play and a scrum we pushed over, Cambridge jumped on the ball when it came out and quickly scored. Convert missed. A nice elusive run set up a try under the posts for Grimsby, but the conversion was missed (down 2). Cambridge scored near the end under the posts and missed the convert.

Final Score: Grimsby 17: Cambridge 14

Team: Nathan Rowbottom, Dylan Kinch, Jon Millington, Jeremy Young, Scotty Walker, Joel Lenard, Bob Mavro, Phil Sullivan, Jon Jeske, Derrick Weber (C), Jamie Scully, Vic Blaney, Alex Millar, Nick Lemieux, A. Nother

Coach`s Report:

It feels good to have a full team to start unlike our past 4 games and with the added bonus, the other team had to play one short. But even with dominance in the scrum and a good lineout and an extra man, we still could not capture the win. We did not have the killer instinct to put away a team that was essentially falling apart, complaining to the ref and trying to delay the game. Our skills and fitness let us down. It looks like Cambridge will forfeit its last two games in September to support their two other teams in the Jones division. This will give wins to Kent and Bruce. It is better we played and lost than not have played but the forfeits by the leading team does not look good for the league. Anyway it was nice to have Joel back for the first time this year and Alex for the first time since June.

Coaches Man of the Match: Vic Blaney for strong running and tackling and a try

Other teams pick: also Vic Blaney



Scotty getting lifted.



Jeremy getting stepped on.



Mystery try scorer.

Cambridge Away: Week Two

Gentlemen 10: Cambridge 66

Weather: Warm and humid with a wind

Ref: Eric Ciezar

Attendance: a few supporters but most missed the bus

Presidents report:

I was not available for this game as I was away in Wales watching Wales lose to South Africa 34 to 31. I was hoping for a much closer result (the Grimsby game).

This is me before my tryout with the Gwent Dragons.



This is me with Colin Charvis who is the coach of the Newport Gwent Dragons who wanted a picture with me. Colin has been the captain of Wales and has been a British Lion. He has the world record for a forward in scoring tries (22) in test matches and is the most capped forward in Wales. He is considering coming to Grimsby for coaching experience.

When Colin stands up, I come up to about his knee.



The following report was compiled by the team captain, Derrick.

We started flat and had no pressure on Cambridge who created overlaps and scored within two minutes. The continued to move the ball wide which we could not answer and by 20 minutes we were down 21 points. But on the ensuing kick off our forwards led by Nick Lemieux(?) took charge. We realized we matched up well against a younger inexperienced pack and with a few crashing plays Victor sliced through the line and scored dragging bodies with him. The convert was missed.

However, we lost the ball in a ruck on the ensuing kick off and Cambridge ran wide to score and added one more try off a quick lineout before half.

Half time score: Genelemen 5: Cambridge 35

Last year it was a very similar score at half and we took it to Cambridge and won the second half but this year was not to be.

The second half was similar as we over committed to the Cambridge forwards and they passed quickly to the outside center who scored twice more. We were held up once in their try zone The next scrum led to a high tackle by Cambridge on Nick L. and a penalty try was awarded. The convert was again missed.

Victor went into the backs which helped but Cambridge scored three more times

Final Score Gentlemen 10: Cambridge 66

Team: Jeremy Young, Dylan Kinch, Jon Millington, Nathan Rowbottom, Dean Gibson, Bob Mavro, Kyle Wilson, Vic Blaney, Martin Van Den Hurk, Nick Lemieux, Derrick Weber (C), Frank Della Fortuna, Alex Millar. Jamie Scully, James Tullock.

From under the Wilow:

We need to use the forwards more as in rolling mauls.
Do I still get credit for the try? (not really but we will make an exception)
I wish I was five years younger.
Players need to be more organized and get to games earlier to have a proper warm up and preparation.

Captain's man of the match Nick Lemieux

Cambridge's pick was Derrick Weber