Upper Clapton Football Club and Epping Youth (UCFC)

Andy Carroll · Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

UPPER CLAPTON U17's 35 - 07 BELGIUM U17's NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SQUAD

From the opening whistle the Clapton players tore into their
international opposition and it quickly became apparent that Clapton
were not the cannon fodder that the Belgium coach had expected. There
was a collective desire to win at any cost which was evident in the
ferocity of the Clapton tackling and the aggression that they hit the
breakdown with.

The first twenty minutes saw the Belgians desperately defending in their
own half as Clapton attacked with pace and power of a level that seemed
impossible to keep up, but keep it up they did and as the first quarter
drew to an end the Belgian defence broke. Following a back row move on
the far side of the pitch, Tim Matthews forced his way over the line to
post the first points of the match. Matt Thorneycroft struck the
conversion attempt from out on the far touch line but it went just wide
of the upright; 5-0 to the visitors.

The Belgians came back strongly but were driven back by the ferocious
Clapton tackling and before long the visitors were back inside the
Belgian twenty-two where a penalty opportunity was converted by Thorney
to take the score to 8-0.

Again the home team came back strongly but this Clapton team were
mid-way through one of the best games they have ever played and the
controlled aggression at the breakdown led to Clapton turning over the
Belgian possession and Thorney delivering a relieving kick from deep
inside his own twenty-two and finding a safe touch inside the Belgian
twenty-two. Continued pressure led to a second Clapton try before half
time with Clint Dorling going over in the corner to take the score at
the interval to 13-0 to the visitors.

The second half saw the Belgian coach make six changes and they started
the half at a tremendous pace, pinning the visitors inside their own
twenty-two. Successive Belgian attacks were repulsed on the Clapton try
line by crunching tackles. After five minutes of continuous battle along
the length of the try line it was finally breeched and with the
conversion successful, the score was now 13-07.

Any thoughts of a Belgian revival were short lived as Clapton
immediately returned to the offensive. The precision to all aspects of
the Clapton play was superb; the Clapton scrum was solid and they also
managed to steal three scrums against the head; the counter rucking at
the breakdown was excellent, turning over countless pieces of opposition
ball; the backline played with a confidence in attack that has not been
seen in the last few matches, performing training ground drills with
smooth precision and driving the opposition back in the tackle with
thunderous dump tackles; the kicking game of Thorney was accurate to the
nearest inch; every player performed to the highest level.

With play like this it wasn't long before Clapton were back on the
scoreboard with Thorney adding another penalty kick to his tally. With
the score now at 16-07 there was only going to be one winner and
following continued forward pressure, Michael Goodman crossed the try
line at the end of an exquisite back move. Thorney added the extras
making the score now 23-07. Within minutes it was 30-07 with Dean
MacFarlane going over under the posts, where Thorney again added the
extras. The Belgians were now chasing shadows as first Matt Crute, then
Michael Watts and finally Guy Prince broke through the home teams
despairing tackling attempts. With Prince finally stopped, the ball was
popped out of the tackle to a supporting Thorney and shipped down the
line to Goodman who fought and battered his way through four tacklers to
score his second and Clapton's fifth try.

The final score of 35-07 was a fair reflection of the game as Clapton
played by far the better rugby on the day. The ferocity of the Clapton
play of the first twenty minutes shocked the home team so much that they
never really recovered from it. To pick out individuals in the Clapton
team would be impossible; each player played to the highest standard but
special praise must go to Michael 'Leonides' Tindall who captained the
team magnificently, constantly encouraging his team mates and leading by
example in all he did. This was truly a victory of Spartan proportions
and every player will forever remember what they achieved that day.