A Second League Win

Once the game settled into a pattern, it was clear to both sides that Reading had only one modus operandi – keep the ball in the forwards and try to batter their way through. Conversely, when the ball went wide there was only one team in it. So would the rapier or the bludgeon triumph? Leporine pace and guile against taurine size and strength. In Eddie Butler’s simple prose, “would it be nifty or hefty?” As it was the last play of the game that settled this argument, the spectators were on tenterhooks throughout.

The cliché refers to a “game of two halves”, but this broke down into a game of four quarters.

The first quarter had the visitors dominating territory, with the teams sharing possession. Reading, usually deep in their half, kicked to relieve the pressure; Redingensians tried to get their flying back three into the game, and went close but couldn’t score.

The second quarter belonged to the hosts as it was their turn to play in the opposition half, and this time with the most of the ball. Time and again they sent big forwards running, and each time the defensive line held firm. Once they crossed the line, but were adjudged held up, and from the resulting scrum the ball was coughed up and Redingensians kicked clear with some relief.

The third quarter was a repeat of the second, but slightly more evenly balanced. This time, for all the positional superiority, Reading didn’t look like scoring.

Right on cue, everything moved to the other end of the pitch for the final quarter. First MacDevitt scorched down the left touchline, but was brought back for a previous infringement. Then Wild made a sniping break on the right and Richardson was bundled into touch just short, setting up a Reading lineout on their own 5m line.

Lu was a nuisance on the Reading throw all game, and now he made a crucial steal and drove over the line. Once again the referee said held up, scrum 5, attacking ball. Unlike Reading, Redingensians didn’t squander the opportunity, as Lu drove over after picking up from the scrum’s base. Cox’s conversion made the score 7-0 with eight minutes to play.

However, this was the visitor’s quarter, and Reading couldn’t get field position and territory to launch the heavy artillery. Instead, with a minute to play Reading conceded a penalty close to their own line. After going through a repertoire of moves in earlier parts of the game, Sharp found the simple expedient of tapping and running himself. Dummy runners went every which way, but he ran straight and plunged over for the decisive score.

The last two league games have both been close, but Redingensians found a way to win both.