Mitcham & Carshalton RUFC

M&C got their fourth win of the season on Saturday, overcoming a Haslemere side which seems to be getting stronger every week. Within the first few minutes of the kick off, Mitcham grabbed the first points of the game, with what seemed like the perfect team try. Mitcham ran several crash balls on the far right hand side, 10 yards from Haslemere's line, followed by a quick flash of fast hands from the backs, which saw JohnJoe Nolan, today playing on the day as a winger, dive over for his 3rd of the season (his other two being against Haslemere earlier in the season).

This lead however was short lived following a freakish 10 minute period in the game. Following sustained pressure, Haslemere were able to charge down a box kick 5 meters just off Mitcham's try line. A loose ball rolled across the line, with an opposition player landing on the ball before a M&C player could react. The club were team caught completely offguard by a second try, immediately from the restart. A strong take by a Haslemere player in hugely windy conditions blindsinded M&C, who were able to break the line and sling it wide for their second try of the game.

This did however seem only a small blip in M&C's plans, who maintained strong lineouts and dominant scrums throughout the game. The equaliser came before the half in a similar fashion to the first, with continued possession in the right hand side of the pitch 10m from Haslemere's try line. Instead of sending it through the backs however, Fly Half Corey Griffiths, senssed a gap and ran a reverse line towards the forwards following a line out, a dived over for his fourth of the season. This ended the half 12 points apiece. 

After the early worries from losing the lead early on, the second half was a far more controlled Mitcham display. M&C took the lead a few minutes into the second half, with No. 8 Aaron Parsons sensing a gap, who them offloaded to Scrum Half Ryan Jones, who tore down the length of the pitch, managing to evade 5 Haslemere players who pursued him. This lead was capitalised on a few minutes later, at a lineout 5m off Haslemere's tryline. A strong lineout saw Hooker Bryan Jones recieve the ball at the back of the subsequent maul, drove over the line and divded over for his first of the season. As the minutes ticked over, Mitcham continued to enjoy strong spells of possession, but also had to endure some defensive moments. In the final 15 minutes of the game, fullback Dan James was on the recieving end of a great backs play, diving into the corner and the last play saw Griffiths score his second of the game and his fifth of the campaign in what capped an excellent display.

In the final game week of 2021, Mitcham travel to Harlequin Amateurs in what's promising to be an exciting match. KO 2pm

Tries: C.Griffiths (2), J.Dolan, B.Jones, R.Jones, D.James

Conversions: C.Griffiths (4)