Pinner 1st XV home win against London French

Sporting their new kit Pinner hosted the league match against a strong London French side on Saturday 27th September. The match report will follow but in the meantime enjoy some of the images from  the game…….

For the first time in several seasons Pinner, now with a regular 2^nd XV, the Pelicans, hosted two home matches at Shaftesbury Playing Fields Hatch End on Saturday.  Both teams had started the season with 60 + points victories and were looking to build on this success.

The 1^st XV entertained London French in the Middlesex Merit table.  From the start Pinner showed their intent and dominated the early play. The pack was in good form keeping the play in the opponents 22.  The first try was not long in coming when after only eight minutes the pack drove the visitors back and number 8 Andrew Alexander forced his way over. Scrum-half Chris Jepsen added the extra points.  Pinner continued to have territorial advantage with London French unable to match the home pack. However this led to some sloppy play allowing French to use their strong backs. From a Pinner mistake French ran in a try under the posts to equal the score. This galvanised the home side to greater efforts.  Spurred on by the large crowd the pack reasserted its control.  From a 5 m scrum Alexander dived over for his second try again converted by Jepsen. With half-time looming another Pinner lapse allowed French in for their second try to bring the score at the interval to 14 – 12 to the home team.

The second half started much as the first. Within 5 minutes Pinner one a scrum just inside the visitors half. Scrum-half Jepsen sprinted 40 m to score under the post and then convert his own try. He soon added a further 3 points from a penalty after French had failed to release the ball in a ruck. The game now went through a more even phase with the French backs always a threat.  Once again it was the pack that restored order and with only five minutes remaining number 8 Alexander drove over for his third and Pinner’s fourth try. Jepsen once more added the points to give Pinner a comfortable 31 – 12 lead.  Pinner now relaxed and were severely punished as the French backs, throwing caution to wind, attacked down the left wing.  This resulted first in a converted try and then, straight from the kick-off, another as the final whistle blew.  The final score was 31 – 24 earning bonus points for both teams.

The two Pinner teams are now undefeated in September and have amassed 190 points between them and are both sitting at the top of their respective merit tables.

Next Saturday the 1^st XV have an away cup match against Civil Service Barbarians whilst the Pelicans travel to Hemel Hempstead for a merit table game.