Sevenoaks Rugby 1st XV 24 - 24 Chobham RFC 1st XV
Sevenoaks Rugby 1st XV and Chobham RFC 1st XV enjoyed a tussle at Knole Paddock on Saturday. Following 80 minutes of determined rugby nothing separated the two sides and the match ended in a 24-24 draw.
Oaks enjoyed the early ascendancy. The home team made several incursions into the visitors' 22 yard line during the opening five minutes. In fact it was only due to a calculated off-side and a deliberate knock-on by their opponents that Oaks failed to cross the line during these opening phases. At that point in the match, the Oaks faithful would have been forgiven for feeling the win was in grasp. Chobham, however, had other ideas, including the temerity to notch up the first points of the day with a pen.
The first half ended with the visitors 19-12 in front following two tries from Oaks either side of a well executed drop goal from the Chobham 10, before an excellent burst from the Chobham left wing, who jinked his way inside and then outside the covering defenders to score in the corner, closed the opening stanza.
In the second half Oaks were into the fray from the get go and a try from Pettet was converted by Floyd to level proceedings at 19 a piece. The game then descended into a yellow card fest as Pettet for Oaks and two of the visitors got the wrong side of the ruck and the wrong side of the referee to find themselves contemplating 10-minutes of down time on the touchline.
Oaks once again had the lion's share of territory and again were impeded by well-timed foul play. To compound the injustice, Chobham romped home for a try from the half-way line, having turned the ball over midfield. A bullocking drive from the Chobham Number 8, an imposing figure all day, began a move that was completed by the left winger.
At 19-24 there was time for a final rally and Oaks took it to Chobham to put Short over in the corner, who made the most of a confusing melee on the 22 to find space and dot the ball down out wide. Unfortunately the conversion lived up to the try-scorer's name and the teams clapped each other off the pitch, neither completely happy with their lot.
As they retreated to the sanctity of the Clubhouse, the Oaks players' attentions turned to the ensuing Annual Quiz Night, and the topics of Deputy Dawg, dingbats, the construction date of the Sydney Opera House, and the capital city that begins with Z...
Photo: Try-scorer Jonny Short in full flow. Photo credit: Dave Purday