MotM Hamish McQueen
Sevenoaks Academy 1st XV travelled to Eltham College on Sunday knowing that a bonus point win was necessary to keep their Kent League hopes alive. This would be a tall order against a team that historically have always been Oaks' closest rivals in this age group.
To make things even tougher, the weather was biblical and out of necessity the match was played on a somewhat narrow schoolboy pitch.
Predictably, what followed was a hugely attritional game with two big packs going at it from minute one.
Oaks had the early ascendency as they controlled territory. Fly half Max Lindsay kicked the visitors into an early 0-6 lead after huge collisions from hooker Frank Kitchen and prop Andrich Skein led to penalties in the OEs half.
OEs were putting in some huge defensive shots of their own and a brilliant chop on winger Isaac Canham as he tried to run it from deep led to a kickable penalty that was put over to bring the score to 3-6.
Oaks struck back immediately as another big defensive effort from the kickoff gave Lindsay the platform to push Oaks 3-9 up. Unfortunately, the physical nature of the game was spilling over into a small amount of 'afters'. Oaks had a penalty overturned inside their own half after scrum half Zach Ferguson was adjudged (somewhat harshly) to have been over zealous in his attempts to get the ball from an OEs player on the floor. OEs kicked to the corner and constructed a powerful driving maul to take the lead at 10-9.
The see-saw nature of the 1st half continued as Kitchen immediately responded after powerful carries from flanker Josh Martin and 2nd row Max Gilbey dented holes in the home defence before OEs struck again from close range after more ill-discipline from Oaks at the kickoff. 17-16 to the hosts at half time and Oaks were left scratching their heads for the 2nd time in two weeks.
In a mirror image of the week before against Medway, Oaks cranked up the heat from the outset in the 2nd half. The kicking game from Ferguson and Lindsay continued to cause massive problems for the OEs back three and Kitchen soon went over for his and Oaks' 2nd try from close range. Lindsay converted and Oaks led once again, 17-23. More defensive and territorial pressure led to two rushed clearances from OEs in a row. Both were punished clinically by fullback Hamish McQueen as he ghosted through twice on the counter. First, he fed Martin who then carried two defenders over from 5m to score Oaks' 3rd and then he fed winger Alex Holden who scorched down the right to score Oaks' all important 4th try. Lindsay couldn't miss and Oaks were suddenly 17-37 up.
OEs had one final moment of threat when a misjudged box kick found their electric left winger, who carved through the visiting defence and almost went the length but for a wonderful covering tackle from winger Tom Hyde. Two more Oaks penalties followed, with Lindsay stepping up both times to slot the ball through the uprights to give Oaks a final win of 17-43.
Oaks will now have to wait and see the outcome of the TJs v OEs game in two weeks time to see if their red hot end to the season is enough to offset their disappointing loss to TJs back in January.
The dominant nature of Oaks' last two performances very much demonstrates what might have been for this group this season. Even without the likes of England U18 international Angus Hall as well as Saracens Academy players Zach Johnson and Brennan O'Keefe, the team that has taken the field in these past two games would in all likelihood have been serious national cup contenders. Unfortunately, the die hard commitment to the cause has come a few months too late. Hopefully this will be a lesson learned ahead of what promises to be another hugely competitive academy squad next season.
Squad list : Will Tarry, Frank Kitchen, Andrich Skein, George Booth, Max Gilbey, Joshua Martin, Tom Hewitt, Liam Thomas, Zach Ferguson, Max Lindsay, Isaac Canham, Fin Stables (C), Joel Walter, Oli Ebsworth, Hamish McQueen
Subs : Harry Gullett, Colby Bedford-Eatwell, Raphi Simmonds-Dance, Jamie Catchpole, Jake Tucker, Tom Hyde, Alex Holden
MotM : Hamish McQueen