SARACENS 15

Friendly

Franklin's Gardens

Monday, November 7, 2005

Still for the first half-hour the game was very much in the balance as, like Saturday, Saracens used the driving maul as their prime attacking option. And like Saturday it paid dividends as former Saint Ben J Russell slotted a fifth minute penalty.

A lovely Seamus Mallon pass from the tackle helped Wanderers play their way into the Saracens 22 and though the visitors turned the ball over all Joe Bedford's clearance kick could do was find Paul Diggin. Diggin found Garth Fowler and Andy Vilk's mazy and powerful run created a golden scoring opportunity. Diggin was on the end of the move he started to cross in the right corner and give Wanderers a 5-3 lead.

Then the fireworks began. A mass brawl between the packs was followed by two Wanderers sinbinnings in six minutes for Ben Lewitt and Mark Soden. Saracens used the two-man advantage to great effect, powering their way over the line - Ben T Russell with the touchdown, his namesake fly-half the conversion.

This only sparked the Wanderers backs into life and through Vilk they tied the scores in the 26th minute. The try was made by Ben Patston's neat break and long pass, and - after more Saracens forward pressure was well resisted by the home pack - Patston himself retook the lead nine minutes later, pouncing on his own grubber kick.

The tide was turning and two tries in four minutes had Wanderers firmly in command at the break. The first came from Mallon, spotted by Vilk on the inside after the latter had collected Patston’s cross-kick. The second – and Wanderers' fifth – came three minutes into injury-time and was reward for a sparkling backline move involving many dummy runners and another visionary Patston pass to Vilk who crossed in the corner.

The first-half forward tension reared once more four minutes after the break, spilling over the touchline in the process. Steffon Armitage was yellow carded for his part in sparking the trouble and as with the previous cardings the man advantage was capitalised on. Fowler's soft handling and chip created havoc in the defence and Fowler dived on the loose ball to score for a 34-10 Wanderers lead.

It was 41-10 on the hour when the Wanderers pack gained some revenge on their opponents by driving over from close range, Ben Lewitt the beneficiary. The scoring dried up as the next 15 minutes saw a myriad of changes, including the return of Saints Senior Academy member Matt Grove after more than a year out with injury, and it was to both sides credit that the game didn’t lose its shape.

But though Wanderers would have their moments in the final minutes it was Saracens who crossed for a consolation try through Nambdi Obi.

Teams:
Wanderers - Fowler; Vilk (Grove 73mins), Mallon (Harries 49mins), Barnard, Diggin (Clarke 49mins); Patston, Howard (Jones 55mins); Harbut (Beech 64mins), Wernham, Sturgess, Rae, Beattie, Soden (Easter 55mins), Lewitt, Hopley (capt)(Powell 65mins).

Saracens - Grix (Wilson 40mins); Obi, O'Driscoll, Powell, Dodd (Gibbs 65mins); Ben J Russell (Collins 60mins), Bedford; West (Gelman 40mins), Kyriacou (Wickens 65mins), Prinderville, Ryder (capt), Chesney (T Saull 40mins), Gill (A Saull 65mins), Armitage, Ben T Russell.

Scorers:
Wanderers - Tries: Diggin, Vilk (2), Patston, Mallon, Fowler, Lewitt; Cons: Patston (3).

Saracens - Tries: Ben T Russell, Obi; Con: Ben J Russell; Pen: Ben J Russell.

Yellow cards:
Lewitt (16mins)
Soden (22mins)
Armitage (44mins)

Attendance:
1,717

CLOCKWATCH:
5mins Sarries: Pen Ben J Russell 0-3
7mins Wand: Try Diggin 5-3
16mins Wand: Yellow card Lewitt
22mins Wand: Yellow card Soden
22mins Sarries: Try Ben T Russell Con Ben J Russell 5-10
26mins Wand: Try Vilk 10-10
35mins Wand: Try Patston Con Patston 17-10
39mins Wand: Try Mallon Con Patston 24-10
40+3mins Wand Try Vilk 29-10
44mins Sarries: Yellow card Armitage
54mins Wand: Try Fowler 34-10
60mins Wand: Try Lewitt Con Patston 41-10
76mins Sarries: Try Obi 41-15