Sensational second half performance saw Claverdon run away comfortable winners against a Dunlop side low on confidence and short of form having given a number of home-walkovers and conceding plenty of points.
That said, Dunlop started the brighter and within 3 minutes, and having kicked off, Dunlop had scored without Claverdon touching the ball. Strong carrying from the Dunlop front five saw them claim the restart and trundle to within 5 metres. After a “Gregan” switch from the ruck, the Dunlop centre crashed over and added the extras.
Claverdon responded quickly and it was not long before the scores were level. Jack Johnson broke from a scrum before feeding Jamie Buckingham on the right, the first of many clean breaks. Captain Barton carried strongly to within a few metres before a quick recycle saw the ball spun to James Gibney to stroll over untouched.
After 5 minutes, the possession stats favoured Dunlop 100 to 0. For the next 65 minutes, things were almost the exact reverse.
Buckingham put Claverdon in front in fortunate circumstances. Two knock-ons possibly missed, a couple of fly hacks and a hooker at scrum half somehow ended up with Buckingham diving over.
Dunlop did fight back to within 2 points following a host of Claverdon penalties allowing their opponents back into the game. 5 or 6 infringements allowed Dunlop to eek out some territory before finally kicking to the corner and rumbling over 5 metres out.
Captain James Barton grabbed Claverdon’s third in what seemed like a game of touch. From the lineout, Gunnar, again impersonating Matt Dawson flung it wide from the maul before Jimbo sent Robin through an enormous hole in the midfield and he in turn very selfishly drew the fullback and allowed Barton to dive over without a finger laid on any of the Claverdon players.
Tom Johnson secured the bonus point, albeit again in fortuitous circumstances. Slick hands in the backs allowed Gibney into open space before a neat kick through for the onrushing Barton and Johnson. All the skipper had to do was gather and dot down, but he missed the ball and allowed TJ to mop up behind him.
Half Time Dunlop 12 – 28 Claverdon
The second half started in the same manner as the first. Clavkicked off and reclaimed the restart, forcing play into the Dunlop 22. Unfortunately a knock on prevented an exact replica but it wasn’t too long before Gibney had a second. A delightful crash line from Dunster pierced the Dunlop line and with Ed Smith on hand to feed Gibney, the speedster went over to extend the lead.
Ed Smith was instrumental in the next. Breaking blind before releasing Clav’s other winger Buckingham who was tap tackled and agonisingly fell short of the line. Predator Chris Glover was following up and scored the easiest try of his career simply dotting down from a meter out.
Gibney grabbed his hittrick with another blind break. Quick hands from Jimbo B and Jimbo W put Jimbo G into space on the wing, and flirting with the touchline he (FINALLY!) cut in rather than out to score under the posts.
Barton doubled his tally with an almost exact replica of the 7thtry. A break blind and good hands from Jimbo and Smith put Gibney in down the touchline. Again, drawing the fullback he popped to the skipper who dotted down under the sticks.
At this stage Dunlop were struggling to stick with the intensity of the Claverdon game and Claverdon’s possession really told. A 9th try was scored with 25 minutes still on the clock. Jimbo broke through the midfield before feeding the onrushing support. Robin, unselfish again with ball in hand drew the fullback and put TJ in for his second.
Claverdon scored straight from the restart in rather comical fashion. Jack Yates took the restart and rolled his ankle in the process. With the defence rushing up towards him, he waved them away and asked them to stop before rolling the ball back on the floor. Dunlop and 12 Claverdon players stood and watched having expected a whistle, before Fordy (who was desperate to play having returned from injury) picked up the ball and ran, and ran, and ran before touching down under the posts. Captain JB did the honourable thing and called play back for a scrum on the Claverdon 10m.
From the resulting scrum, Jimbo broke the line and should have kept ball in hand for Jack to go over, however he chipped the fullback and the ball bounced in Dunlops favour to concede a 5m scrum. A penalty to Clav followed before Jimbo with pin-point accuracy nailed a cross-field kick straight to Buckingham to score his second.
Jimbo finished a fine day with the boot by adding the extras to make it 10 from 10 from the tee.
The game did however finish 10 minutes early in dramatic and concerning circumstance when Barton put a big hit in on the Dunlop scrum half who fell to the ground before being forced to lie prone for a few hours until the ambulance arrived. Fortunately, he was later discharged from hospital with whiplash.
Claverdon entertain local rivals Harbury at home on 22ndNovember and also welcome over 100 Vice Presidents for the first of President Liz’s reign!
