By BODisGOD
February 13 2014

As a travelling supporter, you are filled with excitement and energy when your side take 3 points from 2 minutes ... especially if you are a London Irish supporter.

As Mark McCall stated in his notes we have some international players like Topsy Ojo, Sailosi Tagicakibau and James O'Connor, sadly for Irish fans we saw Ojo pull out before the game and likewise was Tagi. But those worries where soon put to bed as Lewington showed his quick feet and Fenby unveiled his strength.

 Irish were pretty much perfect. We struck when we needed to in the first half, showed a solid defence during Saracens pressure in the second and came away with 4 points and best of all denied Saracens a loosing bonus point. London Irish lost 2 players in the first half to the sin bin; Fergus Mulchrone and Blair Cowan. While Mulchrone was in the bin Irish conceeded a solitary try for Saracens courtesy of Marcelo Bosch put the home side back in the lead. The wind prevented Charlie Hodgson from converting. Saracens 5-3 London Irish. 

Minutes after the try, Irish were straight back down in the Saracens' 22 and won a penalty. James O'Connor only just missed. 5 minutes or so after that missed penalty Irish were again comfortably moving towards the Saracens' line, then suddenly Matt Parr pushed and smashed over the line to reinstate a London Irish lead, James O'Connor converted. Saracens 5-10 London Irish.

Next came London Irish's second sin bin for Blair Cowan. Saracens' moved in on the Irish line but some good defence by Irish kept them from crossing the whitewash. Saracens' left the Irish 22 with only 3 extra points. Saracens 8-10 London Irish.

From the off Irish showed even more promise, Charlie Hodgson was put under pressure and his low kick was charged down and recycled out wide to Lewington who beat Hodgson in the foot race to the line! The crowd of Irish supporters went crazy! O'Connor missed the conversion but that was not to matter because as soon as the kick off was taken Saracens knocked it backwards and Lewington hacked forward, through a mass of Saracens bodies and as Charlie Hodgson bent down to collect Lewington gave it another whack and George Skivington was in a foot race with Hodgson and another Saracens' player, they barged Skivs out the way but he ploughed on, the bounce favoured Skivs and he jumped on the ball to score! James O'Connor converted. Saracens 8-22 London Irish

 In the second half Irish knew they where playing into the wind and realised that they really only had 1 job, defend and keep Saracens' away from the line. Irish were very successful in this operation and the only score of the half came in the final 4 minutes for Saracens, Schalke Brits crossed after the Irish defence tired. Charlie Hodgson missed the conversion and denied Saracens the opportunity to draw level with Irish had they scored another converted try. 

Final Score: Saracens 13-22 London Irish

So far this season, London Irish have been the only side to win at Allianz Park in this years Premiership. Another statistic Saracens have won 18 of these derbies, London Irish have won 18 and there has been 1 draw between the sides. Yesterdays result was fantastic our boys wore their hearts on their sleeves and put in a fantastic performance. As Saracens' programme mentioned a few less loosing bonus points and more 3 points, we could be somewhere completely different. Better watch out Wasps!

COYI!