Medicals Serpents 43 – 19 West End
Another defeat for West End today losing out to a young and well drilled Medicals team.
West End began by showing dominance early on and scoring from a huge catch and drive with Mike Marra getting his seventh try for the season, slowly catching up to Ewan.
West End’s back line fell into the trap of Medicals with multiple tries scored in the first half around the back three, after 20 minutes changes were made with Scott Walker and Andreas coming off with switches made to the backs. The play got better with West End hammering the scrums and rucks very well.
Once again, a lack of patience when attacking the try line from yards out cost the away side after repeated scrums from penalties was given back to the home side due to the kiwi number 8 crawling through the bottom of the scrum to get himself a try but was miles short. The referee quite rightly spotted this and blew up for half time with West End failing to capitalise.
An equal first half ended and the second half kicked off with West End tying the medicals up with Ewan Pritchard and Jamie Hutchinson having their best defensive game for a while with Marty McHugh coming in over rucks from full back.
The game then picked up and Medicals score another couple of tries with failure to deal with the back play from Medicals. Then Justin Elliot made his return with Harvey Thompson coming in at flanker and Justin playing half of the game centre and rest number 8. Then discipline took its toll with Mike Marra coming off for 10 minutes for arguing with the referee after infringement in the ruck.
West End found the ground once again with the forwards coming in with attack with Chris Hosking's leading the way, for Joe Rowan to score his first of the season.
Again, Medicals came in and blitzed the tired West End team to score off from a lack of decisiveness after three players went for a loose ball and failed to deal with it.
Another yellow came when Chris Hosking was picked up for a high tackle and was gone for 10 minutes, shortly after Dean Henderson was sent off for infringing at a ruck while off his feet.
Mike Marra then came through for West end after only coming on for two minutes scoring his eighth try levelling up with the man himself Ewan Pritchard.
The game finished with medicals putting three more past a 14 man West End finishing the game for good.
The game was played with heart however some basic mistakes and a lack of discipline from key players at key times is becoming a recurring theme and needs to be improved.
