Trinity 0 Teddington 50
With a stronger team this week Trinity were hoping that they could give the league leaders a good contest.

Inside 2 minutes they were quickly aware that they were up against it. Trinity did nothing wrong in tackling well and covering the first attack from the visitors, but Teddington were able to loop and change their angles of running to create an overlap on the right and crossed for the try. A fine kick from far out added the extras. Trinity then managed some play with Ben Telfer and Jack Greenwood combining and forceful running from Andy Dean. The visitors countered strongly, however, and strong rucking gave them a platform to launch another sally. Ty Williams put in a fine try-saving tackle but Teddington kept the ball alive to score again and lead 12-0 with only 6 minutes on the clock.

When the kick off did not go 10, Mids had to face a scrum and gained some encouragement from having an edge here at least early in the game. Then, however, an injury to their captain and best player this season, Farooq Agbalaya, increased the pressure. Teddington found touch with a penalty and recycled well to press the line. They were held short but when they let the ball out Mids had no answer to the powerful runner coming straight under the posts. 19-0. Trinity now put together some running and passing with Dean again and Olly Hubbard making ground. Teddington were as able in defence as they were in attack and Trinity could not penetrate.

In the next attack from the visitors Ben Vaillant was carded and Teddington added their bonus point try which put them 24-0 to the good. To their credit Trinity stuck to their guns and out played their talented opponents for the next 20 minutes. Telfer and Williams tidied up well and launched a counter-attack which saw Aidan Sisk beat a number of tackles to race down the right wing. He was held up just short. Trinity then launched a number of assaults on the Teddington line and there was some strong carrying from Jacques Bryant, Tim Cochrane and Vaillant who had now served his time. Teddington’s defence held, however, and Mids were not helped by losing crucial line outs in the corner and running moves close in which were rushed and played into the visitors’ hands.

With breeze and slope in their favour in the second half, the hosts were looking to register some points. Some loose play again handed the initiative back to Teddington and they attempted a penalty kick. This was short but Vaillant’s long clearing kick was well fielded by the visitors, and they attacked again. Sisk came across to effect a fine saving tackle. The Trinity line out then malfunctioned again and Teddington took the ball in the line to go straight through and score again after 43 minutes. From the kick off Trinity won a penalty and, with plenty of confidence in their set piece opted for a scrum. When the visitors took this against the head it was clear that things were not going to go for Mids today.

Teddington attacked again and the Mids’ resistance was stout and despite an injury to Dan Crouch they continued to compete. Another assault on the Teddington line was just short and the line out continued to be a problem area. A long high kick from Marc McEvilly bounced favourably for the visitors and opened up a huge gap for them to run through unopposed for their 6th try. Mc Evilly then ran a short penalty and it seemed that Mids might get the try their efforts deserved but a deliberate knock down by Teddington produced the minimal consolation of a yellow card. Things went Teddington’s way again when one of their speedsters found a gap in midfield from broken play and they reached their half century when they forced two scrums close in and had too much firepower for a tired home defence.

Mids had suffered a number of injuries over the course of the afternoon and will be disappointed that the margin was so great, but there was plenty effort typified by an excellent contribution by debutant Alex Connaughton who got stuck in and carried well. They were up against a very fit, strong and talented team.

Match report GERRY MURPHY
Tribe Advisory Player of the Match OLLY HUBBARD

Match photos via Pete Filewood’s FLICKR