Cam pressure fails to break Bracknell
CAMBERLEY ended the first half of the Regional One South Central in a bruising 33-26 defeat at Bracknell.
The table-toppers made the short trip to Berkshire hopeful of increasing their lead at the summit, but they found a home defence willing to put their bodies on the line to keep Camberley at bay in the dying stages of the contest.
Michael Clarke’s men came flying out of the blocks and were quickly on the scoresheet when scrum-half Max McCarthy burst through to score. Victor Hardwicke added the extras to give the visitors a 7-0 lead.
Camberley maintained their pressure on Bracknell when Hardwicke delivered an inch perfect 50-22 to take his side deep into the Stags territory. From the resulting lineout, Camberley got a powerful driving maul marching forward before winning a penalty.
The visitors opted to employ the
dark arts at the coal face and won their first of many scrum penalties. Knowing that they had the dominance at the set-piece, they packed down again.
Again, they powered through the Bracknell eight to win another penalty and again they opted for the scrum and again the hosts were penalised, but this time the referee awarded the visitors a penalty try for a 14-0 lead with 12 minutes on the clock, while Bracknell saw James Johnson sent to the bin.
Yet that galvanised the hosts and they began their fightback in the second quarter of the match.
Winger Noah Cannon bagged their first try of the match as he raced in at the corner for an unconverted score.
Bracknell continued their dominance and as Camberley began to infringe on a regular basis the referee’s patience wore thin and branded a yellow to Camberley prop Antonio Ripata as the first half drew to a close.
Unlike Camberley, Bracknell were able to make the most of the man advantage and powered over for their second try, which was converted.
And there was still time for the hosts to take a lead into the break when No. 8 Ken Hodgson dotted down and Oliver Radford sent over the conversion to send his side 19-14 up at the interval.
Camberley re-established their dominance at the scrum at the start of the second half and after a series of penalties, Bracknell had Ruairi Henderson given a 10-minute rest and the visitors powered forward to allow openside flanker Chris Bird to go over. Hardwicke added the extras to restore the lead.
Just past the hour mark, Camberley wrapped up their try bonus point with a well-worked score that was finished off by Jaid Wiltshire, but
Hardwicke was unable to add the conversion.
Camberley’s seven-point lead always looked fragile and the home side were able to draw level with a converted score in the final 10 minutes of the contest.
Soon after Bracknell scored again when Fergus O’Connor went over in the corner, and his midfield partner Radford sent over the touchline conversion.
Camberley then laid siege to the Bracknell line in the closing minutes of the game, and despite immense forward pressure with a number of pick and goes, the Stags held firm to claim the win.