Sat 29 Jan 2022, 14:00
This was always going to be a Titanic battle with Fullerians hoping to cut down the points difference in the league table and hoping this would be their best opportunity to do so with a bonus point win. After fifty minutes it looked like the home side might achieve this with three tries in the bag and eight points clear. However with a devastating last quarter the Legends scored three unanswered tries to bag the match and all the spoils, leaving the home side ruing what might have been.
Letchworth were right to bring out their old war horses Quarmby and Amos to match the Fullerians pack’s physicality, and even so Letchworth were driven back at a rate of knots on several occasions. However it was the speediness at the back of super sub Joe Allison who helped turn this match as the home side’s forwards visibly tired, and good tactical kicking with the wind meant they had to turn and jog back sixty metres on several occasions.
Letchworth were feeling the pressure up front early on but the arrival of hooker Kyle Hughes after ten minutes steadied matters. A good scrum resulted in a backs move ending with full back Gibbs being brought down just before the line. From the breakdown Howman seized the ball and made a basketball pass to burly Adam Amos who smashed through the defence and dotted down under the posts. Then inexplicably no kicking tee was at hand and with the minute ticking by fly half Hem Johal attempted a drop conversion that skidded wide. Would this have an impact later? The writer is reminded of an article of one of Letchworth’s first games from 1926 which appeared in the Citizen at that time (v Luton ) ... “Letchworth lost this game by two points instead of winning by two as two tries were scored under the posts and two absolute sitters were missed. The moral is obvious … take care of your placekicking and your wins will take care of themselves. Have the present (post WW1) generation never heard of W J Bancroft (famous Welsh kicker)!!” There you are, some sage advice from nearly a century ago … now on with the game in 2022 …
With the wind behind them Fullers were soon on the attack and landed a penalty and shortly afterwards an intercept in their 22 by their centre nearly brought a try. Luke Campbell then received ten minutes in the bin and Fullers profited with two unconverted tries to take the score to 13/5 and the home side in the ascendancy. With Letchworth restored to a full complement the forwards led a mighty surge to the Fullers line with Conor Turner securing the score under a pile of bodies. This time with kicking tee Hem Johal made amends with a fine conversion from out wide so there was scarcely a sheet of bronco at half time with the scores at 13/12 to Fullers.
The home side came out with renewed vigour and confidence after the break and on three occasions Letchworth were driven back at the set piece and the centre went in under the posts for a seven pointer. This was as good as it got for Fullerians however, as Letchworth now used the wind to keep the home side pinned down. Joe Allison had only just come on when he stole Fullerians ball from a maul and waltzed over like the artful dodger with not a hand laid upon him. Johal’s conversion made it 20/19 but now there was more spring in the step of the Legends. A well struck penalty by Hem Johal now gave Letchworth the lead at 20/22.
Danny Odita, back from injury, had some great runs and on one occasion left three defenders sprawling in his wake. However the next try came from fellow winger Gurure who crashed over in the corner following a flowing move. Once more Johal landed the points from the touchline. Minutes later great hands between Campbell, Titherington and Johal saw Odita get his reward with a fine score. This time Johal hit the post with his conversion attempt, but now Letchworth had a fourteen point cushion.
Fullers knew the game was up but tried desperately to secure a bonus point. However the Letchworth defence was imperious in the last few minutes, with man of the match Dan Peasnell knocking down anything that moved. Tommy Wilcock took a card for the team from referee Jack Sutton as he impeded a likely score. As Fullers frustration grew Letchworth broke out of defence with Allison pounding down the centre of the field and selling a dummy before sending Arun Johal away only for him to be brought down close to the line. This proved to be the final play of the game and a great win for Letchworth who are now definitely secure in third place, but intent on hunting down Old Priorians in second spot. Now a local derby awaits in the rearranged game next Saturday at Datchworth.
Team from 1:
Robinson
Hughes
Turner
Wilcock
Amos
Peasnell
Fitts (c)
Quarmby
Howman
Johal H
Gurure
Campbell
Titherington
Johal A
Gibbs
Tate
Allison
Odita
An alternative view …
Older Fullerians 0 - Old Letchworthians 5
With thanks to Michael Green
Adam Amos Amazing Antics
Hey nonny no! What a smiling breakfast it was this morning for 41 year old gas meter reader and legend Adam Amos, veteran pack leader of the Old Letchers. Never had toast been crisper as he sat in the parlour of his little terraced house near the canal … never had the coffee been tastier … never had the bacon been nicer or the eggs better cooked!
Reason? On Saturday burly Adam (he admits to weighing in at 19 stone) scored the only try to give Old Letchers their first win all season. Not only that but it was big Adam’s only try in fourteen years. “I remember my last try well” he said. “We were invading Iraq at the time”. No wonder both spectators cheered him to the echo as he left the field.
Adam said he had been in special training for this match “I gave up the Stella last week and just drank IPA top … rugby is a game you have to take seriously you know!”.
The try came at the end of a fierce encounter between these rivals. A scrum was ordered and as the two sides met no one noticed that Adam was talking to the old Letchers secretary who was also touch judge. Not only that but the Letchers only had four forwards. Yet by a terrific effort they heeled the ball and diminutive 18-year-old one armed scrum-half Harvey Howman whipped the ball out on the blindside. Then he realised to his horror there was no winger … Letchers were so short of men he had gone into the pack. The ball lay stuck in the mud and then Adam took a hand. Attracted by the shouting on the pitch he turned away from the secretary and saw the ball. In a flash he had picked it up and lumbered over the Old Fullers line for the winning try.
The OFs protested strongly but the referee insisted that Adam was within the laws of the game. As if to add insult to injury the conversion kick hit a post and brought down the crossbar knocking out 5 OF players.
Diehard stick in the mud England selectors should note the name Adam Amos. Despite his age Adam shows a resourcefulness that is sadly lacking in the present England pack. Maro Itoje and Eddie Jones take note!
Brian Burke
