With the festivities and celebrations behind us and a well-earned four week rest from matches, Saturday 10th January saw our first opportunity for the Extra B’s to get together and run off the excess weight and cobwebs.
Earlier in the season we lost with 13 players in the away fixture to Old Streetonians IIIs, so this was a chance for the Extra B’s to make a statement of intent to the visitors and the league.
With only five games to go, a spot in the play-offs was starting to look increasingly achievable.
Amazingly we had five front rowers for the game but ironically the oppositions requested non-contested scrums as they were short of front row troops.
The ground was soft, the sun was out and there was a small breeze which captain Nick Dunne opted to go against in the first half.
With the team rallied and raring to get going we kicked off.
Within the first few minutes and after a fantastic line-break, inside centre Mike Gammell went over for the first try.
The pressure was on the visitors to come back and after Nick Dunne missed the extras they remained positive.
As the half progressed the Extra B’s kept on the pressure.
With spectacular persistence and line breaks from outside centre Jack Greer, fly-half Guy Murdoch and Number 8 Alan Little the team were on the offensive and with fantastic support from the pack we retained possession and territory for most of the half.
Half time and the score was 29-5 to the Extra B’s and with three players still on the bench things were looking good.
Nick Dunne went through his routine and fired the team up for the second half, which started with an unchanged line-up.
Through a series of intelligent phases, started by fantastic lineout performances from Doug Riddle, and orchestrated by Guy Murdoch, Mike Gammell shifted the ball out to the team's hitman winger, Chris Giffin, who powered down the wing to score.
The points were converted by the boot of Gammell.
The remainder of the half became a sequence of blurred highlights with the visitors tiring quickly against a superior Extra B’s backline.
Winger Chris Giffin stole the show by scoring five times and outside centre Jack Greer went over for a hat-trick of his own to demolish the visitors chances of any points.
The game nearly saw the first drop goal of the season as Paul Shapiro went for it, but missed the chance to add some extras!
The final score was 66 – 12 to the Extra B’s, a successful showing of the increasing skill in the team and a fantastic way to start 2015.
With four more games to go this season, the game provided a well needed bonus point win, putting us one step closer to the play-offs.
Next game is away to Staines II’s this Saturday 17th January.
London Scottish Extra B’s Team:
1: Brian Martin
2: Chris Burgess
3: Dave Henfrey
4: Doug Riddle
5: Tony Roselli-Crittenden
6: Steven Baker
7: Ed Bromley-Martin
8: Alan Little
9: Nick Dunne (Captain)
10: Guy Murdoch
11: Chris Giffin
12: Mike Gammell
13: Jack Greer
14: Jamie Kelly
15: Paul Shapiro
16: Nathan Stevenson-Wong
17: Andy Packer
18: James Packer
Tries: Chris Giffin (5), Jack Greer (3), Mike Gammell (2), Nick Dunne (1), Guy Murdoch (1)
Conv: Nick Dunne (2), Mike Gammell (1)
Man of the match: Chris Giffin
