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Archive - Millwall Match Reports
Season 1997 / 1998
Click on any one of the links below
to view the match report, then use the <top> link (at the end of
every report) to return here.
Warning: These reports are not
official. In most cases they were written by players or spectators and
no attempt has been made to check the accuracy of the reports, let alone
to remove the swear words!
Basildon on 20th September 1997
May & Baker on 27th September 1997
Fairburn Chigwell on 11th October 1997
Dagenham on 18th October 1997
Eton Manor on 22nd November 1997
1st XV vs. May & Baker 10th January 1998
Fairburn Chigwell on 17th January 1998
Dagenham on 24th January 1998
Ilford Wanderers on 4th March 1998
Canvey Island on 18th April 1998
London New Zealand on 26th April 1998
MILLWALL VS BASILDON - 20TH SEPTERMBER 1997
THE FRONT LINE
1. John Crawford
2. Jean-Sebastian Rat
3. Pete Howard
4. Terry Barthram
5. Chris Underwood
6. Gareth Batley
7. Peter Wllllams / Antoine
8. Rupert Moreton
9. Neal Foster
10.Carl Wakefield
11.Rhys Jenkins
12.Richard McCarthy
13.MartIn Cooper
14.Nick Proctor
15.Rory Kilmartin
Tragically, given that a Millwall side allegedly, put 60+ past Basildon
III, no-one has provided a match report for publication. Tries were scored
by Rupert Moreton (2), John Crawford (2), Carl Wakefield, Gareth Batley,
Rory Kilmartin, Antoine & Rick McCarthy at the very least, anyone
else who scored but not on that list should advise Flex as soon as possible.
Unhappily, both Rory and Rick suffered injuries. Pete Williams and Nick
Proctor added to injury list and their absences will be sorely missed
this week. That's about all I know because I've got a cold and I can't
be bothered to make up any more, so tune in next week
.
<top>
MILLWALL VS MAY & BAKER - 27TH SEPTEMBER 1997
THE FRONT LINE
1. John Crawford
2. Gareth Batley
3. Tony Smith
4. Terry Parham
5. Chris Underwood
6. Chris Miller
7. Sean McCann.
8. Rupert Moreton
9. Larry McCabe
10. Carl Wakefield
11. Neil Meldrum
12. Martin Cooper
13. Pony Momma
14. Warren Preen
15. Rhys JenkIns
Subs: Neil Mangeolles, Terry Bartram, Guy Lether, Kevin Doherty, Pete
Howard, Phil Antenbring, Nigel Webb.
We take immense pleasure in printing a match report submitted by Phil
Moule. It brings a fresh perspective to everything, seeing something through
another's eyes. That is why we would like plenty more contributions from
other members. Learning anything means watching and listening to others.
Some of the report will seem odd. That is because it has been submitted
to various local newspapers.
Home Match: Victoria Park
Next Home League match against Dagenham on 18th October
<top>
MILLWALL VS FAIRBURN CHIGWELL - 11TH OCTOBER 1997
THE FRONT LINE
1. Tinny Smith
2. Gareth Batley
3. Jamie Rockman
4 Guy Lather
5. Neil Meldrum
6. Christian Tirabassi
7. Chris Millar
8. Rupert Moreton
9. Larry McCabe
10. Carl Wakefield
11. Jim Waite
12. Martin Cooper
13. Phil Antenbring
14 Perry Munton
15. Rhys Jenkins
Subs: Rory Kilmartin,W. Preen, P. Munton, P. Howard, P. Williams.
Third time lucky for Chigwell, Sorry mate! It's Millwall you played. Millwall
basis for Saturday's win was playing with 15 men in horrible conditions.
Tony, Garth and Jamie provided an strong front row with Neil and Guy giving
the backbone missing last week. Mind you the Line outs in the wind was
somewhat of a lottery. However Garth (I'll throw the ball in straight,
ref) Batley discovered that throwing the ball into the wind helped us
in the Lineout. Rupert provided the collection point in the air and Larry
dispersed the ball with flare. Wake me up I’m dreaming! Sorry folks
but all of you played a blinder, you can't even give me somebody to bloody
well slag off. Indeed Chigwell couldn't match our forward dominance. Christian
had a homing device fitted to the ball beforehand and Chigwell had no
answer. Fitting therefore for Neil to have on hand the whole pack to push
him over the Chigwell line after some excellent work by both forwards
and backs. Chigwell then struck back with two penalties without troubling
our 22. Then Millwall started to dominate. Rupert and Christian had a
stormer as they tackled like demons with Garth and Tony picking up the
loose ball and running with it (Allegedly). Such interplay between these
four and Rory and Larry almost conjured up a try down the blindside. All
Chigwell could do was hoof the ball down the field for Rhys to snap it
up and run it back. Chigwell were stretched when Carl collected a lazy
Chigwell relieving kick and ran it back at them. With interplay between
Rhys, Carl, Coppers, Phil and then Perry saw the latter nearly squeeze
over the opposition line. Thus Chigwell led 6-5 at halftime.
With the wind behind them Millwall took full control. Who said you cannot
run the ball in wet weather. Carl took over at scrum-half as Larry suffered
from a recurring injury (No not a hangover). Rory joined the fray on the
wind and proceeded to show his opposite winger fresh air. After quick
ball from the forwards Phil, Coopers, Perry moved the ball out to Rory
who was unlucky to be bounded out just short of the line on two occasions.
Then that all important breakthrough came. Chigwell kicked over the top
only for Rhys to catch the ball and deftly kick it into the left hand
corner. The Chigwell fullback had to kick it into touch right on the line.
The simplest of moves took place. Garth threw the ball in straight to
Rupert who fell over the line for Millwall's second try. 10-6. to Millwall,
unfortunately Phil missed the conversion. Chigwell summoned hellfire,
the rain and wind got worse and they proceeded to lay siege to the Millwall
line. Chigwell threw everything at Millwall. Yet like exorcet missiles
they were hit and pushed back by some ferocious tackles, Chris, Rupert,
Christian, Coopers hit them hard and fair and their concentration broke.
Millwall seized the incentive and cleared their lines. During the next
session of fumble the ball, Rhys picked the ball up in midfield and put
a kick deep into their 22. The fullback had no option but to cross his
own line as Rory, Coopers and Warren had chased through. Carl fed the
scrum and Gareth cleanly hooked, Rupert picked up and ran in field and
set up a ruck. Carl fed Phil whom dummied to Coops and sprinted over.
Phil converted his try with ease. The game then played out it's last throws
without much ado. Chigwell 6 Millwall 17
<top>
MILLWALL VS DAGENHAM - 18TH OCTOBER 1997
THE FRONT LINE
The sun shone down and temperatures soared as Millwall walked out on to
the pitch to take on a well known, and local foe. When they had last met,
it had been a tough game with Millwall victorious and the championship
theirs.
MillwaIl seemed a little weary of the burden of expectations facing them
and this showed up in the first ten minutes of play. Dagenham quickly
took advantage and plowed up the pitch placing Millwall on the defensive.
Only when a succession of attacks were repelled, did the play move back
to the halfway line. Twelve minutes in, Dagenham started a messy attack
which led to a centre of the pitch turnover. Whilst onlookers were admiring
local trees and well-endowed joggers, they caught, in the corner of their
eye, Perry exciting the rabble. Ball in hand and head down he ran the
40 yards’ with only a passing prop looking like he might catch him.
Perry never recovered from this burst of energy and was subbed shortly
afterwards. However his was enough to lift the spirits of Millwall and
they really went to work. The play started getting wider as the forwards
provided quick ball, which in turn allowed the backs to play with the
Dagenham centres and wings. Every time the ball got down the line respectable
gains were made.
On one such occasion Warren got within 5 yards of the try-line. What was
then decisive was the support play by a large number of the pack that
had followed. The ball was set and popped up to the delighted Doctor,
who ploughed over the line for the second try.
It was at this point that Mr. Antenbring's kicking started to let him
down. Having converted the first he went to great lengths, adjusting his
bootlaces, gauging the wind and the shadow from, the uprights etc in order
to miss the rest with an honorable penalty goal as the exception. Phil.
needless to say, decoded to remedy the situation by scoring a try.
Only the last ten minutes of the first half looked like going anything
other than Millwall's way. The pack did start to get pushed back on most
of the scrums and Dagenham claimed three points from a penalty. The danger
was quickly averted with Coach's (something or other, apologies Ed.) and
the experienced head of the Vicar in the front row. From then on the pack
seemed more cohesive and met all that Dagenham had to offer. The second
half was typified by a frustrated Dagenham who found MiIlwall fit, sham,
tackling well and the half-backs creating plenty of room for Phil Antenbring
to score two more tries and the Doctor to get the last one, all of this
while the match reporter's deputy was in an ambulance trying to find his
way to an unlocked gate.
<top>
MILLWALL VS ETON MANOR - 22ND NOVEMBER 1997
THE FRONT LINE
1. Alan Wiles
2. Martin Cooper
3. Phil Moule
4.Terry Barthram
5.Graham Biner
6. Nell Mangeolles
7. Barry O'Neill
8.Brendan Roche
9.Rhys Jenkins
10. Dory Kilmartin
12. Perry Munton
13. Darren Boyle
14. Warren Preen
15. Carl Wakefield
Subs: Phil Antenbring, Nigel Webb.
The first ten minutes are lost to historians altogether. The distraction
presented by a ladies team training on the adjacent pitch was such that
Warren Preen took the first opportunity to leave the field and volunteer
to hold a tackle bag. Phil Antenbring deputised admirably. Anyway, Millwall
took the lead through a Carl Wakefield chip and chase, a method of scoring
that is fast becoming a staple diet whenever Carl's on the field. The
second try was scored by Phil Antenbring after a quite superb break by
Rory that had arrogance oozing by the gallon. The third try was also scored
by Phil despite his best efforts to drop it. Eton Manor clawed their way
back in the second half eventually winning, cruelly, with a penalty kick
in the last few minutes.
<top>
MILLWALL VS MAY & BAKER - 10TH JANUARY 1998
THE FRONT LINE
1. Jamie Rockman
2. Gareth Batley
3. Terry Smith
4. Guy Luther
5. Neil Meldrum
6. Brian Whitley
7. Sean McCann
8. Brendan Roche
9. Larry McCabe
10. Truman McCarthy
11. Warren Preen
12. Phil Antenbring
13. Andy Barrow
14. Phil Moule
15. Rory Kilmartin
Subs: C. Miller
An Excuse Report. - We met too early.
Any true Millwall Albion player would have guessed something was seriously
amiss on Saturday; at only 10 minutes passed the real meeting tine we
had 15 players ready to depart from Island Gardens.
We couldn't play our rules... May & Baker was the destinatlon for
the start of the second half of the season. We had proudly beaten them
in Sept/Nov (please correct Flex), trading their violent play for our
champagne rugby. Thus most looked forward to an exciting game aided by
an Essex league first: Official Linesmen.
Our second row's away Powerboat shopping. Despite both the firsts and
second's playing, Millwall had dipped into its vast eager playing numbers
and produced a team easily capable of beating M&B. Only a couple of
foreign players were missing (Christian, Jean Seb..)
They scored a lucky try. The game started with a Millwalll flurry of
attack. Even the backs saw early action, before a break from one of the
M&R second rows broke a number of tackles and passed off, leaving
Mlllwall watching a clean set of heals passing over their line. ps. M&B
converted
And Another
And Another
MillwaIl recovered quickly and spent much of the next twenty minutes camped
out twenty five yards short of the M&B line. Chances went begging
and passes floundered in a lack of support or mauls where M&B had
the superior strength. Finally an attack up the left wing met opposition
five yards short. The play then broke in the far right leaving a knackered
Shaun catching his breath. From the right Larry gathered the ball and
passed off to Truman. With quick hands it went to Phil, then Andy and
then to Warren. With both the route to the posts and the side angle blocked
by M&B players, the situation looked dire but who was that still with
hands on knees and still within chipping range. Even though he was on
his own, Shaun still managed to drop the (perfectly kicked) ball.
Unlike later in the match, when he dropped it forward this one was backward,
and could be gathered. Larry was still slating Warren for kicking the
ball rather than passing it, when the ref raised his hand for the try.
From 5-7 down it should have bean the usual story of recovery and victory
for MillwalI, but It was not to be and individual performances went for
nothing as the team crumpled under the M&B attack. Twice more they
broke down lines decimating the feeble defence.
By half time the X-mas turkey had really kicked in....even 21-5 looked
a possible target that could be beaten, but the team looked ragged and
unfit as play continued in the second half. Lineouts became difficult
as M&B's taller second rows disrupted any chance of a clean take.
Many times Larry had to deal with slapped balls and hospital passes (please
don't do it to him again, I couldn't take another Saturday night of him
complaining about all his injuries), of the second half attacks in a flattened
scrum-half. Millwall's backs never really saw the ball again.... except
in the oppositions arms breaking through feeble tackles. My calf/little
finger/toe hurts.....
Never a truer word was said by an Antipodian than when Truman berated
those players wingeing of minor niggling injuries. M&B had scored
their fourth try by then (and missed only this conversion) and those players
who had walked onto the pitch with the right level of commitment were
undermined by those having a Sunday afternoon stroll.
But its only a game. M&B went onto score a fifth try and a penalty
before the end. Even a valiant attack from Millwall, in the closing five,
failed to produce anything. As Guy reminded the few of us down the Pier
on Wednesday, it was the first time we did not cheer ourselves off the
pitch and goes someway to show the dismay we had with our game. But we
will come back. We will enjoy our game with the odd-shaped ball. And we
will start that fightback this Saturday. Anybody stops to catch a breath
before our 20th try this week, and I'll personally arrange their transfer.
Warren
<top>
MILLWALL VS FAIRBURN CHIGWELL - 17TH JANUARY 1998
THE FRONT LINE
1. Jamie Rockman
2. Gareth Bailey
3. Tony Smith
4. Guy Lether
5. Chris Underwood
6. Christian Tirabassi
7. Chris Miller
3. Brendan Roche
9. Larry McCabe
10. Rory Kilmartin
11. Neil Meldrum
12. Phil Antenbring
13. Martin Cooper
14. Warren Preen
Subs: Perry Munton, Sean McCann, Pete Williams.
So, here we go again. A match report written by someone who was 25 miles
away. What turned out to be the game where Millwall Albion rediscovered
themselves against the side currently languishing at the bottom of the
league. It needed to be convincing and it was, largely.
Eight tries were run in and all of them by the backs. Good to see, if
you'd been there. Phil Antenbring showed that he's on his way back to
form with a hat-trick, they can't all have been flukes. Aye and Lany bagged
a brace. The singletons were supplied by Warren, Coops and Rory who capped
off a fine performance at fly-half. The forwards enjoyed a more dominant
position than they held against May & Baker and their efforts in wearing
down Chigwell's pack were well rewarded in the last twenty minutes. Apparently
we had another 20 minute bad patch which is becoming a bit too much of
a regular feature. We need to get rid of it gentlemen. Finally Phil made
5 conversions to make the final score 50-12. Same again this week please.
<top>
MILLWALL VS DAGENHAM - 24TH JANUARY 1998
THE FRONT LINE
1. Tony Smith
2. Peter Howard
3. Jamie Rockman
4. Guy Lether
5. Chris Underwood
6. Peter Williams
7. Chris Millar
8. Brendan Roche
9. Larry McCabe
10. Rory Kilmartin
11. Phil Moule
12. Phil Antenbring
13. Martin Cooper
14. Warren Preen
15. Neil Meldrum
Subs: Sean McCann, Paul Ryan
Millwall 29 DAGENHAM 14
Scorers: Tries; M. Cooper, C. Millar, C. Underwood, P. Antenbring(2)
Cons; P. Antenbring (2)
I have it in writing from the meteorological centre that Central Park,
Dagenham, was officially the coldest recorded place on earth last
Saturday afternoon.
Whatever. It all started with an amusing drive along our favourite road.
Paul 'Rhys' Ryan got left behind by the 2's, so obviously he came away
with the l's. Coops used every pavement and garage forecourt along the
Al3, but still couldn't get there before Chris. Me, (some dribble about
shoddy navigating), Gareth and PeteW, despite expecting to be late, were
first there.
Eventually we got out and warmed up. (Shurely shome mishtake?) For Coach
jogging from the changing room to the pitch was enough. And so it began.
The first half was played into a strong (and bloody cold) wind. This provided
Dagenham with an early positional, but not necessarily possessional, advantage.
Big hoofs down field which were rather shakily dealt with by our hastily
rearranged back three, led to a procession of line outs in our 25. It
was from one of these that they scored first, pinching
the ball of our throw and flopping down to score. 0-5
We woke up and started to run things. Literally. Every penalty, won scrum
and line-out, from no matter where, was put through the hands. Sadly though,
was the order of the day for both sides, as a combination of the cold
(and yes, I will keep banging on about it!) and, I'm reliably informed
a shite ball, led to a shed load of dropped passes. But sod it! We won
enough ball for it not really to matter, and on a better day could have
scored a hundred. Eventually our superiority and possession led to a score.
A quick penalty went through the hands to Coops, who wisely decided against
pushing our luck, dummied, and scored. 5-5.
We continued to dominate, especially in the serums where we drove them
of their own ball time and again. From a scrum Larry broke right and put
a great kick into the corner, which their wing helped into touch. Fatty
Underwood won the resulting line-out and a maul rolled in field. Chris
Millar took possession and drove over. 10-5. (You'll notice the lack of
conversions here. Still, it was windy!)
I can't remember the build up to the third try, but I have to admit that
Fatty beat off about four would be tacklers to score a fine individual
try under the posts. He must be the only man alive who throws dummies
with his ankles... 17-5, and half-time.
Despite requests to speed up our play, the second half followed a similar
pattern to the first. We got two more tries, both from the Goldfish. The
first came from another quick penalty, spun left and finished of in the
corner. 22-5. And finally a backs move to the right where Phil Moule took
on the last man and popped Goldie a gimme, which ended under the posts.
29-5.
I apologies if the latter details are a bit sketchy, but I believe ice-on-the-brain
had set in by this point. (Pub doctor recommends drinking heavily for
that you know) But all in all a satisfactory performance given the
conditions, and lets face it, you can't drop the ball unless you win it
first. So we must have won it a hell of a lot..
<top>
MILLWALL VS ILFORD WANDERERS IV - 4TH MARCH 1998
THE FRONT LINE
1. Jamie Rockman
2. Tom Winnifrith
3. Alan Wiles
4. Terry Barthram
5. Brendan Roche
6. Gareth Batley
7. Sean McCann
8. Craig Jehn
9. Larry McCabe
10. Phil Antenbnng
11. Andy Barrow
12. Enzo Marrano
13. Darren Boyle
14. Kevin Doherty
15. Kamil Stender
Subs: Nigel Webb, Pete Howard.
Highly honourable mentions are extended to Jamie and Craig for spending
the best part of the previous 15 hours completely off their trolleys and
still making it to the match. To look at Jamie is to remind everyone of
when they too could do that and play a decent game of rugby the next day.
Craig will be the first to admit that he wasn't on top form. He couldn'’t
even fake an injury well enough to be convincing.
As for Brian Whitley, not much to say there other than it gave Gareth
the chance to play in his natural position. He hasn't forgotten how to
do it. The game was mainly memorable for some astounding refereeing. The
first half passed off appreciably well with Millwall establishing a quick
lead courtesy of some sublime play by Enzo. The man is quite simply dangerous.
He sent Kamil and Darren over without breaking sweat. This was during
the period when the pack trusted the backs with the ball. The early successes
gave Millwall a nosebleed and they spent the rest of the half trying to
stop Ilford scoring. They failed miserably when Ilford ran back a clearance
kick and the Millwall three quarters waited on their own try-line before
attempting to tackle them.
The rest of the half slipped by extremely quickly. As with Enzo, the
entire team didn't seem to have broken into a sweat although Tom Winnifrith,
the new signing from London Irish, ran about so much, the rest of the
team got out of breath out of sympathy. Tom's energetic runs to take line-outs
bore testimony to someone who was still recovering from the last maul
on the other side of the pitch. Half-time arrived somewhat prematurely
and Millwall discovered that they were playing 35 minute halves, shome
mishtake shurely?.
A quick change of ref and we were all set for the second half. Some of
you may remember the days of murderball in the school gym where everyone
jumped on top of each other and wrestled about for 10 minutes. That's
what we got during the second half from a ref. whose last acquaintance
with a law book had been when David Duckham / Barry John / Clive Renwick
/ Tony Ward (cross out the one that's not applicable) was still a colts
player. It was truly monstrous. Nevertheless, Millwall managed to run
in three more tries, two of which were essentially solo efforts on Enzo's
part, and the other by Jamie who sensibly decided not to pass, when 10
metres from the line, because he can never be sure where his passes will
end up.
Ilford Wanderers grabbed another, truly miraculous, try because the ref.
was busily compiling his shopping list with his wife on his mobile phone,
which, incidentally, is more mobile than he is. The distressing thing
about it all was that Flex would have had another opportunity not to pass
to Larry, if the Ilford winger hadn't knocked it on by about ten yards.
There never is an excuse not to play to the whistle, but this came damn
close. The Ilford team should not be dismissed too lightly as they were
clearly full of Irishmen and you don't have to look much further than
Brendan Roche to appreciate the strengths that the Irish bring to the
game. They're always strong and highly committed.
It is a tribute to Millwall when you consider that there wasn't a player
on the park who wasn't certain that we would eventually win, even though
we played largely as individuals. The mental edge that you gain on an
opposition when you can't envisage defeat is very, very useful. Keep cultivating
it lads, it won'’t ever do you much harm. Just don't leave any room
for complacency. The last word was had, as ever, by Millwall's skipper,
Phil Antenbring who officially put over three out of five conversions.
Unofficially, and obviously, he put over four and has thus developed an
annoying habit of missing at least one kick at goal every game. Snap out
of it Phil.
<top>
MILLWALL VS CANVEY ISLAND - 18TH APRIL 1998
THE FRONT LINE
1. Jamie Beckman
2. Turn Winnifrith
3. Alan Wiles
4. Dave Wiles
5.Terry Barthram
6. Brian Whitley
7. Chris Miller
8. Carey Chambers
9. Mike Costin
10. Phil Antenbring
11. Kevin Doherty
12. Rupert Moreton
13. Gareth Batley
14. Andy Barrow
15. Kamil Stender
Subs: P. Howard
If you want to know what the weather was like, Brian was on his motorbike.
That was somebody else's fault, but if any of you ever want to drive a
car or ride a bike to a match again, we would appreciate it if you could
ensure that you do not run out of petrol, a quarter of a mile past a garage.
Rupert'’s shoes will never forgive him. The omens weren't particularly
good. The key positions at Nos 2, 8 & 9 were taken by MiIlwall novices
with a combined appearance total of 6. Although 10 & 15 were in the
tried and trusted hands of Phil Antenbring and that inestimable Kiwi git
(who can't get up on Sunday mornings) Kamil Stender.
We kicked off uphill and against the wind and the rain, purely because
Phil's a masochist, and Canvey piled on the pressure and some points in
the first half. It was all very nice and organised but they didn't have
any real cutting edges. Their cunning tactical ploy of placing their first
string second row in the centre was more than cancelled by our even more
cunning ploy of filling that position with our No.8 and hooker, little
did they know. The combined force of these two, frankly destroyed him
in the first half. It was a joy to watch.
All three of their first half tries were dead boring whereas ours, made
by Rupert's hands and Phil's dance down the touchline was nearly as interesting.
The pack, with the Wiles' brothers toiling as hard as, I'm sure they do
during the week, helped solidify it. That, allied with the physical presence
of Carey (what's Sunday morning) Chambers, held the scrum and Brian's
line-out jumping (which gave Mike one or two coronaries) was more than
enough to keep them within reach at halftime. It was 22-7.
Now, the second half was much more fun. I shall begin by pointing out
that the introduction of Pete Howard and the scoring of 24 unanswered
points are two entirely unrelated events. Phil is beginning to develop
an instinct for using the elements when they are in our favour. Defensively
speaking he was helped by the pack producing the ball looking as if it
had just returned from the launderette. His kicking out of hand was enormous
and well-directed. Once we had stopped them scoring we needed to do some
ourselves. Phil followed up his run down the left wing in the first half
with another down the left wing in the second.
Kamil had set it up fielding a high ball and running across the park.
A clever pop to Phil running left (well wouldn't you with Phil and Rupert
up against a sole opposition winger) who went himself beating the winger
and the full-back with Rupert looming up inside. The next was a simple
interception and run-in by Rupert. Simple in the sense that backs usually
make it look a stroll. Despite Rupert's adequate pace and scintillating
sidestep, it's difficult to describe his running style as a stroll, more
like a giraffe with diarrhea. Sort of by now the pack had got fed up with
feeding the glory boys enough ammunition to win the Alamo. Carey, in his
first real match for Millwall, decided to fly the flag for the gorillas.
His first was a simple enough effort from a line-out. We'd got up to
their line with another move that saw Tom Winninfrith, I think, bundled
into touch just short. Their throw went a little wobbly and Carey, having
a quick toke, was surprised when the ball fell into his unexpected embrace.
Showing all the elegance of a Rhino ballet dancer, he fell over. Do you
ever get the feeling that I might have just been watching a wildlife programme?
This took Millwall into the lead with about 5 minutes remaining.
Twenty minutes later Carey scored again. The preliminary events involved
Carey breaking off the back of the scrum and running into their scrum
half. I'm not quite sure how but we won another scrum just short. Showing
great presence of mind Carey broke the other way, clever boy and just
barrelled his way over. It was now extremely difficult for the ref to
continue playing long enough to let Canvey score twice. He quite rightly
put them out of their misery by blowing for full-time. Millwall Albion
31, Canvey 22. A thoroughly satisfying result.
<top>
MILLWALL VS LONDON NEW ZEALAND - 26TH APRIL 1998
THE FRONT LINE
1. Jamie Rockman
2. Tern Winnifrith
3. Gareth Batley
4. Terry Barthram
5. Brendan Roche
6. Christian Tirabassi
7. Brian Whitley
8. Carey Chambers
9 Scott Hogg
10. Phil Antenbring
11. Kevin Doherty
12. Rupert Moreton
13. Kamil Slender
14. Rhys Jenkins
15. Dale Adkins
Subs: Andy Barrow, Neil Mangeolles, Dave Webb.
A long, long time ago, when access to a double sided photocopier was easy,
we had a game of Rugby. How many of you remember what that's like. With
any luck, all of you because that's exactly what you'll be doing in a
minute. You'll have noticed that I haven't mentioned anything about the
match yet. That's because it was a very long time ago, and somehow I've
got to pad this out for at least two pages. No matter, anything that involves
the ANZAC Day game against those antipodeans in black is always good for
a laugh.
They beat us again, but that doesn't stop me telling you that the only
reason they wear black is so they can roam their paddocks at night without
fear of being rumbled. It was raining. Hard. The London Marathon was on
and Flex, that master of disorganisation, was in charge. Oh dear. The
meet at The Pier was changed to outside Chrisp Street fire station. Terry
had to scamper from Watney Street to Burdett Road, other than that everything
went swimmingly. We got there before the ref, which is always handy, and
kicked off more or less on time, even if was Auckland time.
They scored first, bastards. I can't remember how but there were at
least two forward passes involved. No prizes for guessing the nationality
of the ref. Still, it wasn't to last. Rupert lolloped over to bring us
back into the game, by ending a move that can best he described as haphazard.
They got another, gits, and so managed to go into half-time leading by
a thread.
We opened the second half with a superbly taken try by Phil Antenbring
which involved 8 pairs of hands, several dummies and one or two sidesteps.
Well that's what Phil says anyway. I was in the bar which, incidentally,
was a very nice one, when you lot weren't in there. That meant that we
were in the lead. Woohoo.
LNZ didn't take long to head back upfield where somebody sensibly gave
a penalty only five yards out and in front. Here we were, the last game
of the season, a crowd topping 250. Stein lagers rampant, a festival of
Kiwis enjoying rugby at it's most fluent and enjoyable, what would you
do? Hands up all those that would have taken the three points? Unbelievable,
but they did, they must have been ********* themselves. After that we
lost heart and decided to run everything. Foolishly we persisted in passing
backwards and generally obeying the rules. That's the trouble with the
English.
Happily the eight that weren't had their heads screwed on, particularlv
Cares. His lacerated back kept up the merry tradition established by Flex
last year. If you want to piss off a Kiwi, let him rake your back to pieces,
then get up and laugh at him when the ref gives you the penalty. You might
have to spend the next two weeks in intensive care, but believe me it's
worth it. Carey's demonic giggling everytime he decked a compatriot is
a memory I still cherish for a very long time. Even longer than this sentence.
Now then, what happened next. Something makes me think that they got two
more tries that might be because the final score was 25-12, which is criminal.
The real days festivities could now begin. After the decision not to
take the team photo had been made. Trust me you wouldn't have recognised
anyone. Stein lagers, a hangover (why do they bother ?) a colts sevens
tournament featuring the likes of Richmond, London Scottish, and won by
Borough Road, and Scott Flanging his dick out at two men of uncertain
sexuality on the Earl's Court road just about the sums the day up. (I
would like to apologise for the lack of match details). All I can actually
remember is everyone played a blinder. One example that springs to mind
is that Kevin didn'’t miss a tackle.
I am deeply sorry that I've not been able to remember more specific incident.
Shit happens.You can use the following gap to write your phone messages
on. Except the bit that's supposed to remind you of the club freephone
number that you can use when indicating availability.
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