With training and the match frozen off the week before, it seemed like a long Christmas break since the squad had last got together in any significant numbers.
After some astute summer transfer market dealings, we welcomed Finn, Daniel D, Daniel F, Szymon and Magnus into our squad that numbered 16 for the first Waterfall Cup game.
As we had in the same fixture last year, we chose to play the first half downhill (it is quite a significant incline) and got off to a flying start. Jasper put on the afterburners and ran through and round the Battersea back line to finish under the posts. He would have had a second shortly after if it were not for the confusion of the 5m line being a thick white line from the football markings. Strong defence however from the resulting scrum from Finn and Caspar led to a turnover and Szymon was able to burst though tackles to score.
Some unlucky bounces of the ball from a kick off led to Battersea opening their account to peg the score back to 2-1 but Jasper did eventually wriggle free again to score a second before being forced off for a rest.
A strong rip from Harry on the oppositions 22 meant that Teo was able to run in unimpeded under the posts to put Scottish 4-1 up but unfortunately Ironsides scored to make it 4-2 at halftime.
The turnaround to play uphill in the second half had been our downfall last year and unfortunately it was much the same this year. Daniel F lit up the half with a barnstorming run from within his own half but for the predominance of the second half Scottish were struggling to defend the lead and despite dogged defence, with skipper Armaan leading from the front, Magnus and Thomas-Patrick mopping up around the fringes and George patrolling the wing, we eventually capitulated, and Battersea got it back to 5-5. From the last play of the game a wonderful flowing move from Daniel D and Teo released Daniel F on the wing, but Battersea managed to get across and snuff out the attack for the game to end in a draw.
It was a very encouraging start to the competitive season, and we go into the rest of the Cup fixtures with a lot of confidence.
Next Sunday, 26 January, LSFC U13s take on London Welsh Bs at Old Deer Park in Kew with a 1215 KO.
