Martyn's Match Report: Great defence, great tactics, great game!

Thank you to Martyn Jackson, 1st XV Manager & Senior Fixtures Secretary, for sending the following match report.

The latest round of league games saw Chelmsford as our guests at Bridge Road. Could Holt bounce back from the mauling at Dagenham last week? Yes, they could.

Chelmsford kicked off. Pete Medler playing at 9 immediately kicked ahead sending Chelmsford back into their own 22. A good chase from Holt forced Chelmsford into giving away a penalty on the 22. Tom Jackson kicked into the corner and, from the line out, he went for the line but got held up short. A slip pass found Charlie Cowling who went over for Holts 1st Try. Tom Jackson got the conversion.

3 mins: Holt 7 Chelmsford 0

Blake Collings fielded the kick off well and charged forward making good ground. He was brought down on the 10m line but was penalised for not releasing. Chelmsford kicked back to about 15m from the Holt line. From there Holt won the line out but the ball went loose and was hacked into touch. A knock-on gave Chelmsford a scrum followed by a penalty on the Holt 5m line. Chelmsford ran the ball through the hands then back into the forwards and, despite some very good defence from Holt, they managed to force themselves over the line for a try. The conversion was missed.

12 mins: Holt 7 Chelmsford 5

From the kick off Holt forced Chelmsford backwards deep into their 22 before conceding a penalty about 15m out. Chelmsford attempted to clear their lines but Holt ran the ball back, and Chelmsford conceded a penalty on the 22; Jackson buried the ball in the corner. Holt's forwards won the line out and put together an unstoppable drive which Chelmsford were judged to have deliberately collapsed; Holt were awarded a penalty try.

14 mins: Holt 14 Chelmsford 5

Holt again kicked Chelmsford back from the kick off. Holt won the line out, Pete Medler chipped the Chelmsford defence, Mel Gilmour gathered, made ground and off-loaded to Grant McConnell who outpaced the Chelmsford defence to score. Jackson missed the kick.

20 mins: Holt 19 Chelmsford 5

Charlie Howard was replaced by Harry Yarbo. Straight from the kick off Holt ran the ball directly at Chelmsford and, after several phases, the ball found its way out to Ollie Woodrow on the wing who went over in the corner for Holt's 4th and bonus point try. Jackson was successful with the kick.

23 mins: Holt 26 Chelmsford 5

Holt hammered Chelmsford back onto their own line from the kick off. A hack- through beat the chasing Holt players giving Chelmsford a goal line drop out. Holt secured possession from this and ran it through the hands to put Ollie Woodrow in the corner again for his 2nd and Holt's 5th. Jackson missed the kick.

26 mins: Holt 31 Chelmsford 5

From the kick off Chelmsford stormed forward, forcing Holt deep into their own 22. A Chelmsford knock on gave Holt some respite with a scrum 15m out. Tom Jackson cleared Holt's lines as far as the 22, and a Chelmsford penalty saw them again force Holt back to 10m out. Good defence from Holt saw Chelmsford forced into touch, and from the line out Holt again cleared their lines. George Loades was replaced by Charlie Gill. A reshuffle of the backs saw Gill go to 10, Jackson move out to 12, Gilmour to 13 and James Spratt to 14.

Holt once more forced Chelmsford backwards but their kick ahead saw them back onto the half way line; Chelmsford surged forward forcing Holt back into their own 22. Chelmsford however conceded a penalty at the breakdown inside Holts 22, and Jackson hoofed the ball into touch to close the first half.

Half time: Holt 31 Chelmsford 5

From the restart, Chelmsford returned the kick off back into the Holt half, Mel Gilmour fielded and set off, being bundled into touch 30m from the Chelmsford line. Chelmsford infringed at the line and Holt gained a scrum, but again Chelmsford infringed and Holt were awarded a free kick, 30m out. Pete Medler quickly took it, shot forwards with James Gosden in close support. Medler offloaded to Gosden, who in turn slipped the ball onto Harry Yarbo who charged through for a try. Charlie Gill missed the kick.

43 mins: Holt 36 Chelmsford 5

Chelmsford charged forwards again from the kick off, but the Holt defence was equal to the task, time and again stopping Chelmsford's forward momentum and, through some good tactical kicking, pushing them back into their own half. A Holt penalty on their own 10m line enabled Jackson to once more push Chelmsford deep into their own 22. Holt lost the line out and once again Chelmsford came back at Holt but knocked on around 30m out giving Holt an attacking scrum. Medler chipped over the defence from the scrum, recovered his own chip and, with the help of Harry Yarbo, the ball was quickly spread wide to Ollie Woodrow who went over for his hat trick. Jackson nailed the conversion.

52 mins: Holt 43 Chelmsford 5

Chelmsford's kick wasn't 10, so it was a Holt scrum on half way. Holt broke from the scrum but infringed at the breakdown gifting Chelmsford a penalty. Toby Thornberry was replaced with Charlie Howard. The ball went loose at the line out, Holt regained possession and attacked and, moving the ball through several pairs of hands, it eventually ended up with Woodrow who comfortably outpaced the Chelmsford defence to score his 4th try. Jackson once again nailed the kick to bring up the half century for Holt.

61 mins: Holt 50 Chelmsford 5

Woodrow was replaced by George Loades. The game was still being played at a frantic pace with Chelmsford attacking again and again. Holt defended superbly well, with counter attacking when able, either by running the ball through the hands and phases, or by some very good tactical kicking by Jackson, Medler and Gill. Holt managed to force Chelmsford back deep into their own 22, then Gosden came off and was replaced with Goose at No 8. From a scrum around 20m out, Holt were awarded a free kick, quickly taken by Jackson who offloaded to Gilmour who crossed for a try. Jackson got the kick.

78 mins: Holt 57 Chelmsford 5

Chelmsford again forced Holt back deep into their 22 from the kick off, winning a penalty 10m out. A great tap-and-go saw them power over for a well deserved try. The conversion was missed.

80 mins: Holt 57 Chelmsford 10

There was time for a restart. An exchange of kicks saw Chelmsford back in the Holt half where Blake Collings received a yellow for impeding a Chelmsford player in a line out some 20m out from the Holt line. Chelmsford however lost possession from the penalty and the ref blew for time.

Final score: Holt 57 Chelmsford 10.

This was a great game! The score belies the game as Holt certainly did not have it all their own way. Chelmsford attacked with the ball for long periods of the game, but some magnificent defence from all 15 Holt players prevented them from scoring. Holt's counter attacking and coach and on-field game management was superb throughout. This was a game well played by both teams, thoroughly entertaining to watch.

Scorers
Tries: -
Ollie Woodrow X 4
Mel Gilmour, Harry Yarbo, Charlie Cowling and Grant McConnell 1 each.
Penalty Try 1
Conversions: - Jackson X 5

MOTM Peter Medler for his Superb display at scrum half. Pete is sponsored this year by Baconsthorpe Meadows.
DOTD Blake Collins for his Yellow Card !