Club Champion leaders put cleaners through Rams

3^rd Grade: Camden 7   Avondale 27 

 

 

On a wet and miserable day at Wire Lane, there was nothing for Camden to smile about as the Avondale Wombats came away easy winners in all three Grades.

Avondale finished the day with a one sided 38-0 drubbing of Camden’s first grade. The first half was one that Camden will want to forget as Avondale’s backs were untroubled by the slippery conditions and had effectively put the game beyond Camden’s reach with three early tries down the left flank. A much more committed effort in the second half was the only shining light for the Rams and it prevented what could have been an embarrassing blow-out occurring.

At times Camden controlled possession and pressured the Avondale defence but could not come up with the elusive try they craved. In the end the Rams were physically dominated by a team that was not afraid to test the rules of a physical contest, resulting in them being treated as mere guidelines. A pleasing return to form by country forward Gav Holder kept his team resilient and centre Lee Russel and Prop PJ matched Avondale in the physicality.

 

In Second Grade, the Rams were looking to make it to seven in a row against the comp leaders, however they did not adapt early to the wet conditions and were always behind the eight-ball. The final score line, of 22-7 did not accurately reflect how much more closely contested this reserve grade contest was. Camden controlled possession and field position for large proportions of both halves, but did not take their opportunities as well as their opponents. After falling behind 12-0 in the opening exchanges, fly scored and converted his own try, after trailing a half break made by a team mate. Avondale bounced back twice more in the second half including one 14 point turnaround try. After an awful clearing kick from the Avondale fly half, the Rams threatened to counter, before the Avondale winger outjumped his opponent and ran 80m to score. That try sealed the final margin. Camden had missed opportunities which would have dragged the scores closer, with one effort from a 5 metre scrum only being thwarted by a slippery pill. Best in a beaten side were Mark Nightingale who dished up a little of Avondale’s own physical medicine; lock Michael Weightman, No 8 James Crisp, and winger Matt Tedesco who continually threatened.