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12/03/08  Farnham   (H)   League   W 92 - 0

Trojans celebrated their emphatic return to the London Leagues this season with a resounding 92-0 win over Farnham. Such was the dominance in all areas of the pitch that of the 14 tries there were 11 scorers, with Ben Collins converting 11. The festive spirit of a pre-match meal to mark the success of the second team in the Merit League overflowed into the stands so there was no shortage of vocal support. 

Dave Strange captained the team in what was his 100^th first team appearance and it was only a couple of minutes before Chris Boyd on an overlap opened the scoring. With the forwards able to run through at will Tim Higham extended the lead straight from the restart. A further two tries by Rich Battley, the most notable when he cut in from the left wing to go under the posts, and then  tries by Jobi Kochanowski  and Kristian Arens  made the score 48-0 at half time.

The scoreboard kept ticking over in the second half with Ben Collins scoring a try to supplement a great day with his conversion kicking. Dan Corbett secured his evening meal ticket and Mark Greenhalgh completed another flowing move. Kristian Arens scored his second to cap a good game at fly half and Dave Linton dived over on the wing with virtually his first touch as a substitute prop – it is believed Dave Strange had refused to come off!  Strangey got his reward with a try, bursting through at stunning pace from a line-out move and them Jobi got his second after another of his winding runs through the middle.  The scoring was completed by Alan Grogan to end a very good spirited game from both teams.

With just one formality to complete (the chunder mile) the sight of Dave Stranges bare backside (and other bits) drove most spectators back to the bar well before its conclusion.

16/02/08  Camberley   (A)   League   W 20 - 5

Trojans visited Camberley having already beaten them twice this season, but knowing this was not going to be an easy match. Much of the play throughout the game did not get past the first phase as penalty decisions were given one way and then the other. Trojans got on the score sheet first following a couple of good territorial kicks which led to a scrum in Trojans favour about ten metres out. Aaron Surtees took the ball to the blind side and seeing his wing covered he drove for the line, his opposite number and the Camberley flanker unable to stop him getting the ball to ground. Trojans disrupted the Camberley lineout and won several against the throw, but still struggled to get into their usual rhythm. Camberley exerted pressure through their forwards and after several penalties, for Trojans infringements at the maul, they opted to take a five metre scrum which was driven over for the equalising try. Camberley should have taken the lead just before the break but as a result of a tremendous last ditch tackle by Kristian Arens the ball was knocked from the Camberley players grasp just before it was touched down. Half time 5-5.

The second half was more decisive from a Trojans view point. An early penalty was converted by Ben Collins and then after 14 minutes, with the backs starting to throw the ball around, Gordon Ritson found a good line, cutting in from about 30 metres to score under the posts. Ben Collins made the conversion. The game was made safe on the half hour in similar fashion when Rich Battley cut in from the left to score under the posts. This time the conversion kick was charged down making the final score 20-5.

The next league match will be the decisive home encounter against Old Wellingtonians on March 1^st, so do come along and give the team your support.

09/02/08  Old Paulines   (H)   League   W 58 - 12

On a superb sunny afternoon Trojans entertained a Paulines side that started with just 14 players. In the pre-match warm up all Trojans were looking very sharp, and with the ball moving rapidly around the park this appetite was carried into the game. Trojans were testing the Paulines defence immediately and within five minutes they had created two tries. In both instance quick hands to the right flank enabled Russell Clarke to firstly show his pace around the outside whilst handing off the tackler to score in the corner, and secondly to draw the full back and release Rich Battley to take the ball over. Ben Collins converted the first for a 12 point lead and then took a penalty in front of the posts to extend the lead to 15 points.

A twenty minute period then followed when Paulines raised their game and some sloppy defensive tackling allowed them to steal a try back which was not converted. Trojans immediately hit back with another Collins penalty and then, with the forwards getting back to basics, they drove a 5 metre scrum over the line for Adam Grogan drop on the ball and Ben Collins make another well struck conversion. Half time 25-5.

In the second half it took 20 minutes for Trojans to press home their advantage. With Old Paulines kicking out of their 22, Rich Battley drove back, and with Dan Corbett receiving the ball off the ruck he broke a tackle then offloaded to Chris Boyd for a dash down the sideline to score. His second was soon followed after a series of phases in Paulines 22, chipping through from about 15 yards out, he got a kind bounce and scored under the posts. Ben Collins converted for a 37-5 lead.

Jon Kotze then scored off a lineout where he broke through to go over in the corner from about 30 yards out. Sloppy handling then cost Trojans another try with Paulines making an interception to go under the posts from 50 yards. The game had opened up by now, and with Paulines showing tiredness, the Trojans good support play and ability to offload in the tackle produced further tries for Dave Strange under the posts and finally Adams Grogan whose second was on the last play and probably the best try of the game. It started in the T’s 22 when Boyd kicked across to Russell Clarke wide on the wing, he caught the ball and made some yards before off-loading between a number of players produced the score next to the posts. With Ben Collins substituted Chris Boyd converted the last three tries to make the final score 58-12.

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This page last updated:  14 February, 2008