Match Review

Exeter Chiefs 26 Esher 0

 By Big Bob

Memo to self - when it’s blowing a gale before a match stay in bar watching the boxing with everyone else. But I did get to see Esher’s Neil Hackett practice kick in front of the posts fail to go over due to the strength of the wind, and listen to Nigel Walrond talking to an Esher reporter. I gleaned that Esher’s forward are not that brilliant (this was latter borne out) and also from Nigel that it was going to be a game to two halves due to the advantage of kicking with the wind. Although with hindsight the weather during the match, although not good was far better than the weather both before and after.

With the wind and rain behind them in the first half the Chiefs made a good start with a controlled drive in the second minute which ended with Shane Kingsland grounding the ball after the Esher pack had been pushed diagonally back (and towards the posts). Yappy added the extras with Stephen Ward contributing by holding the ball steady, as he was to do for the following three kicks. The person who bought the drum (tom tom?) should be applauded, Chiefs fans (myself included) are not that good at keeping a rhythm – whoever it was – bring it again please.

The remainder of the first half was mainly spent in the Esher half and in the 18th minute the ball was passed out to Josh D whose burst of speed saw him take his 21st league try of the season. A good end to a good sequence by the Chiefs, this was to be the only open play try of the day. Once again Tony added the extras.

Despite playing mainly but not solely in their half, Esher kept trying to run the ball but time and time again some committed tackling by Exe made every yard had to be fought for.

In the 24th minute, the ref Chris Sharp was hit in the head by the ball which provided some light relief.  Like the rest of us, Mr Sharp and his officials made some mistakes but on reflection I would prefer to see his name in the programme than, say Mr Newitt. A few minutes latter the rain started again and the slippery surface may have contributed to Mark Fatialofa’s knee ? accidentally hitting an Esher player at or near the head, fortunately after a couple of minutes sponge work the Esher player was able to resume to the applause of the crowd.

The remainder of the half saw us penalised because Chad was not binding, one of the forwards went through at a lineout and, an Esher player take a punch in a maul which was missed by the linesman ?? and on 38 minutes Gary Kingdom get to the ball first when it was over the try line to prevent Esher from scoring. We had some poor handling in the second quarter which was a shame because at 14-0 at half time the score was slightly flattering to Esher.

The second half started with Dan Parkes and Craig Dunlea coming on in place of Shane Kingland and Brett Strurgess. I think that it was Craig Dunlea who mad a good run early on before going @#$%& over tip after being tackled, the run was good not so much for the distance made but for the fact that a couple of Esher players knew they were in a game – this typified Exeter’s approach for the rest of the half. Esher’s kick off was followed by 8 minutes of Ex battering their way back to the half way line from where they got a good maul going forward, in order to stop Exeter’s progress all Esher could do was pull the maul down and this lead to an Esher forward being yellow carded in the 10th minute. The line out which resulted from Tony Yapp’s kick into the corner was successfully spoilt by Esher an event which the replicated a few minutes latter when another Exeter lineout was taken closer to the halfway line. More Exeter pressure and then an accidental offside, more Exeter pressure and a three man overlap is missed with someone (not sure who) opting to go into a tackle rather than pass it out.

On 17 minutes though the Exeter pressure was rewarded with a try for Toby Freeman on his debut. Prior to this Toby had been trying to make some breaks and this was pleasing to see, a shrewd piece of work by the coaches in picking this match for Toby to start in – we will see more of him I hope. Once again Yappy added the extras, the frustration which had been building in my section of the crowd began to lessen – but now for the bonus point!

Another break by Dunlea and on 23 minutes another big Exe drive which resulted in an Esher player coming in from the side “big time” and receiving a yellow card in the process and a telling off from John Baxter. My notes then state “Exe what a waste” so we cocked it up again but I am not sure how!

On 25 minutes Yappy went off to be replaced by Junior and four minutes latter the fourth try and the bonus point was achieved when Sean Marsden grounded the ball in the middle of a maul – what he was doing there I don’t know – he and the other backs had grounds to be bored and he may have been trying to get warm, whatever, he scored and that was the main thing. Gary Kingdom’s attempt at the extras failed but in the swirling wind, I for one am not complaining.

A few minutes latter Simon Jenkins and Stephen ward were replaced by Adam Staniforth and Matt Grove. If Simon does not play in the last home match then that will be the last time that I see him in an Exeter shirt – I think that he was been a useful player for us and I wish him well at Donny (but not when they play us!).

On 35 minutes Andy Millar came on to replace a tired Chad Slade (like most of his fellow forwards Chad had made his presence – a justifiable man of the match I am sure. Just before the end Josh knocked forward and another useful chance was lost.

So job done, yes we could have got into the thirties but we played Esher and the weather and beat them both. The game plan was to use the forwards and it worked. The nilling, which I described as “not an impossibility” in the match preview was great to see. We appeared to have more players on the pitch for a lot of the match, and not only when they had someone in the sin bin! The whole team was willing to tackle and the forwards were willing to batter forward time and time again. Thanks fellas you were up for it and I for one, drove home a happy fan.

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