JOT FACTOR WEIGHS HEAVILY IN PRICELESS WIN

NOV 25: COUNTIES ONE HERTS-MIDDLESEX

ENFIELD IGNATIANS 20 DATCHWORTH 10

Enfield Ignatians received a much welcome tonic in their quest for survival in Counties One Herts-Middlesex after gaining a morale-boosting and very gutsy 20-10 win in the rearranged fixture against visiting Datchworth at Donkey Lane, writes Jonathan Landi.

In an exciting if error prone encounter which could have gone either way, Ignatians’ Man Of the Match, Jack O’Toole (pictured), had a field day, as he claimed all his side’s points in the form of two tries, both of which he converted, plus a brace of penalties, for a full-house of 20 points.

The scrum-half, whose team first team appearances are limited owing to work commitments, didn’t miss a trick, and he sent Ignatians on their way after rifling over two penalties.

Ignatians subsequently mounted a couple of dangerous attacks which were held-up, with the forwards particularly prominent, but otherwise it was a youthful Datchworth side which continued to look the more threatening of the two sides with the ball in hand.

Although Ignatians’ much changed backline, with a new half-back combination, and two forwards, Nathaniel Clarke and Ben Hammond, in its midst, deserves plenty of credit for hanging-in there.

Frustratingly, though, for the visitors, they created four gilt-edged opportunities, but just when they looked on the verge of scoring, they either dropped the ball or knocked-it on, as the Ignatians’ defence pushed up hard and fast.

Ignatians also had fullback Tom Buckland sin-binned late in the half for tackling a player without the ball, but despite this, they continued to successfully weather the storm by forging a 6-0 half-time lead.

Their never say day spirit, so manifest against Old Streetonians, was particularly evident amongst the forwards. Dominant in the tight and doughty competitors at the breakdown, the pack really rolled up its sleeves and put in a shift, with gnarled veterans, Frank Antwi and Wes Warren, working tirelessly, amongst otherss, to put their side on the front foot.

Taking to the field with 14 players in the second-half, Ignatians got off to the best possible start after capitalising on another of Datchworth’s errors, as the visitors tried to run the ball from their own 22, only to spill the ball and hand the initiative back to the hosts.

From the ensuing attacking scrum, Jack O’Toole weighed up his options, and his arcing run prove just what the doctor ordered, as it exposed a glaring gap in the Datchworth defence and, after rifling clean through, he added to his own handiwork by adding the extras.

However, keeping on the front foot proved problematic for Ignatians due to their travails at the lineout, as Datchworth regained possession, and with the penalty count mounting and Euan Renny sin-binned for a slap down, they were again reduced to 14.

Datchworth capitalised during this period and, with the passes at last starting to stick, their nifty backline at last clicked, and two quickfire tries opened the game up again as Ignatians were left hanging on by a thread at 13-10 up.

Euan Renny, having been restored to the field and with the adrenaline pumping, undoubtedly saved his side’s bacon as he sprinted across the field and made a crucial try saving tackle, which was deemed high by referee Pierce Young.

He was quick to admit his error, but given that it was backrower’s second major transgression, he was red-carded, although granted the proximity of another Ignatians’ player to the incident, the hosts escaped the ultimate sanction of a penalty try.

Although it wasn’t terminal for Datchworth as, in the dying throes, they had two further chances to win the game from attacking lineouts close to the Ignatians’ line, only to hand possession back to their rivals after twice throwing-in squint.

It was just the tonic Ignatians craved as they successfully lifted the siege and, with the ball bobbling sideways from a set-scrum, the alert Jack O’Toole pounced, and with the defence slow to react, he got his side over the line by running-in from fully 40 metres.

Capping a fine afternoon, he also added the extras, on a performance on a par with former first teamer, the mercurial Dannan O’Meachair, who single-handedly destroyed Chelmsford in a league game during one memorable afternoon at Donkey Lane.

MOM Jack O’Toole said: “It was a great team performance. I don’t get many opportunities to play rugby on a Saturday owing to my work commitments with the family plumbing business, but was able to train with the club on Tuesday and Thursday.

“As for my opening try, I was in two minds. I initially thought about passing the ball, However, having spotted a gap and, with the Datchworth scrum-half out of position, I just went for it. It was very enjoyable.”

Team: Tom Buckland, Hadee Fayaz, Nathaniel Clarke, Ethan Renny, Ben Hammond, Tom MacDougall, Jack O’Toole, Farhad Fayaz, Sam Hatchett (Ken Carroll) Matt Pollard (Calum Middleton), Jake Baker, Wes Warren, Matt Georgiou, Euan Renny, Frank Antwi; Sub not used: Jed Getling (18).
Scorers:
Tries (2): Jack O’Toole.
Coonversions (2): Jack O’Toole.
Penalties (2): Jack O’Toole.
MOM: Jack O’Toole.