2nd XV Win In Northampton
By AlanQuin September 17 2003
An untidy but exciting game eventually resulted in a win for the Harlequins 2nd XV against Northampton Wanderers by 20 points to 29.
By AlanQuin September 17 2003
An untidy but exciting game eventually resulted in a win for the Harlequins 2nd XV against Northampton Wanderers by 20 points to 29.
Both teams had a mixture of players with Premiership experience and young and Academy players. For Quins, the front row of Ceri Jones, Tani Fuga and Laurent Gomez faced a Northampton pack which included Robbie Morris, Grant Seeley and Mark Soden.
It was 15 minutes into the match, after largely inconclusive midfield play resulting from mishandling, missed passes, turnovers and general errors on both sides before Luke Sherriff suddenly broke out of a maul just inside the Quins’ half and passed to Tom Williams on his left whose pass found Matt Moore who ran in to score under the posts. Andy Dunne, starting at fly-half after his efforts of Saturday, converted. 0 – 7.
Quins were awarded a penalty immediately from the restart. Another, from the lineout which followed Andy Dunne’s massive kick to touch, allowed him a kick at goal from 35 metres which he put straight through the posts to bring the score to 0 – 10.
A series of mauls on the Northampton line followed but despite crossing the line the ball was not grounded and the pressure eased. At the other end, Northampton, with a mobile and heavier pack mounted a similar series of attacks without success. It was clearly Saints policy not to kick for goal, and throughout the match all their penalties were kicked to touch or run. Eventually from a series of mauls, they broke through and scored a good try which the fly-half converted. 7 – 10
The first yellow card of the night came when the Northampton lock, Jon Phillips, was binned for an offence in a maul, but the resulting penalty attempt from 47 metres by Andy Dunne just went wide of the left post.
On the verge of half-time, a quick tap penalty allowed a series of quick passes to put the Saints’ winger over in the left corner and Russell’s conversion went in off the post. 14 – 10.
The second half brought many replacements. On the Northampton side, with ten replacements named, the changes were frequent and largely anonymous. For Quins, the notable ones were Scott Bemand (for Evans) Adrian Jarvis (for Dunne) and Cracknell (for Guest). Despite the changes, or perhaps because of them Quins began with a series of attacks and great try-scoring opportunity was lost, almost on the line, by one too exuberant pass too many.
This was soon followed by an excellent break through by Jarvis to put Tom Williams away for the line, but he was unable to finish the move.
Again elementary handling errors broke down promising attacks until a series of good passes and quick handling allowed Henry Barratt, playing his first game after injury, to score. Jarvis converted. 14 – 17.
Immediately from the restart a penalty against Quins led to another for offside on their 5-metre line and from a quick tap penalty Northampton scored and converted to regain the lead. 21 – 17
Further Quins pressure and a series of mauls eventually resulted in Ceri Jones being driven over for another Quins’ try again converted by Jarvis. 21 – 24
The second yellow card of the night reduced Quins to 14 men when Tom Parker was sent off for another offence on the floor. However, Quins held out while reduced in numbers and finally a try by Adrian Jarvis, which he failed to convert, finished the game off at 21 – 29
There had been good work and considerable effort in the pack and the backs had tried hard. Adrian Jarvis continues to impress at fly-half where he controlled the game well and made some good breaks. His kicking game too, was good. He is certainly one for the future.
After the game, Mark Evans’ view was that we should have won by more but there was lots of effort and lots of enthusiasm and that was good.
Squads:
Wanderers
Davies, Clarke, Diggin, Binham, Sudi (Kenya); Russell, Jones; Morris, Ross, Bucknell; Phillips (c), Hunter; Seely, Snape, Soden.
Replacements: Spokes, Golding, Chance, Harding (Bedford), Street, S Gray (Bedford), M Gray (Bedford), Hills (Bedford), Baird (Bedford), Akwanyi (Kenya), Ball, Patson.
Harlequins
Williams, Moore, Barratt, Allen, Jewell; Dunne,(rep Jarvis 41) M Evans (rep Beamand 41); Jones, Fuga, Gomez; Parker, J Evans (rep Cracknell 41); Guest, Sherriff (c), Horstmann
Replacements: Dott, Diejager, Cracknell, Hart, Beamand, Jarvis.
Referee: Sean Davey
It was 15 minutes into the match, after largely inconclusive midfield play resulting from mishandling, missed passes, turnovers and general errors on both sides before Luke Sherriff suddenly broke out of a maul just inside the Quins’ half and passed to Tom Williams on his left whose pass found Matt Moore who ran in to score under the posts. Andy Dunne, starting at fly-half after his efforts of Saturday, converted. 0 – 7.
Quins were awarded a penalty immediately from the restart. Another, from the lineout which followed Andy Dunne’s massive kick to touch, allowed him a kick at goal from 35 metres which he put straight through the posts to bring the score to 0 – 10.
A series of mauls on the Northampton line followed but despite crossing the line the ball was not grounded and the pressure eased. At the other end, Northampton, with a mobile and heavier pack mounted a similar series of attacks without success. It was clearly Saints policy not to kick for goal, and throughout the match all their penalties were kicked to touch or run. Eventually from a series of mauls, they broke through and scored a good try which the fly-half converted. 7 – 10
The first yellow card of the night came when the Northampton lock, Jon Phillips, was binned for an offence in a maul, but the resulting penalty attempt from 47 metres by Andy Dunne just went wide of the left post.
On the verge of half-time, a quick tap penalty allowed a series of quick passes to put the Saints’ winger over in the left corner and Russell’s conversion went in off the post. 14 – 10.
The second half brought many replacements. On the Northampton side, with ten replacements named, the changes were frequent and largely anonymous. For Quins, the notable ones were Scott Bemand (for Evans) Adrian Jarvis (for Dunne) and Cracknell (for Guest). Despite the changes, or perhaps because of them Quins began with a series of attacks and great try-scoring opportunity was lost, almost on the line, by one too exuberant pass too many.
This was soon followed by an excellent break through by Jarvis to put Tom Williams away for the line, but he was unable to finish the move.
Again elementary handling errors broke down promising attacks until a series of good passes and quick handling allowed Henry Barratt, playing his first game after injury, to score. Jarvis converted. 14 – 17.
Immediately from the restart a penalty against Quins led to another for offside on their 5-metre line and from a quick tap penalty Northampton scored and converted to regain the lead. 21 – 17
Further Quins pressure and a series of mauls eventually resulted in Ceri Jones being driven over for another Quins’ try again converted by Jarvis. 21 – 24
The second yellow card of the night reduced Quins to 14 men when Tom Parker was sent off for another offence on the floor. However, Quins held out while reduced in numbers and finally a try by Adrian Jarvis, which he failed to convert, finished the game off at 21 – 29
There had been good work and considerable effort in the pack and the backs had tried hard. Adrian Jarvis continues to impress at fly-half where he controlled the game well and made some good breaks. His kicking game too, was good. He is certainly one for the future.
After the game, Mark Evans’ view was that we should have won by more but there was lots of effort and lots of enthusiasm and that was good.
Squads:
Wanderers
Davies, Clarke, Diggin, Binham, Sudi (Kenya); Russell, Jones; Morris, Ross, Bucknell; Phillips (c), Hunter; Seely, Snape, Soden.
Replacements: Spokes, Golding, Chance, Harding (Bedford), Street, S Gray (Bedford), M Gray (Bedford), Hills (Bedford), Baird (Bedford), Akwanyi (Kenya), Ball, Patson.
Harlequins
Williams, Moore, Barratt, Allen, Jewell; Dunne,(rep Jarvis 41) M Evans (rep Beamand 41); Jones, Fuga, Gomez; Parker, J Evans (rep Cracknell 41); Guest, Sherriff (c), Horstmann
Replacements: Dott, Diejager, Cracknell, Hart, Beamand, Jarvis.
Referee: Sean Davey
Bookmark or share this story with:
Digg
Delicious
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
More headlines
- The Mighty Quins March On: Harlequins 30-23 London Irish
- LV= Cup Report: CARDIFF BLUES 45 - 40 HARLEQUINS
- LV= Cup Report: HARLEQUINS 9 - 19 LEICESTER TIGERS
- A League Report: HARLEQUINS A 34 - 3 BATH UNITED
- Heineken Cup Round 5: HARLEQUINS 20 - 14 GLOUCESTER
- Cardiff Blues coach - Sunday 5th February 2012
- NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 24 - 3 HARLEQUINS
- The Great Escape: EXETER CHIEFS 9 - 11 HARLEQUINS
- BIG GAME 4 - HARLEQUINS 11 - 19 SARACENS
latest threads
Poll
