Category: Match Preview

TEST BY THE BEST

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

When you are up against the best in the league the opening ten minutes and the early exchanges can set the tone for the rest of the game. Last time out, against Tonbridge, within the first ten minutes we had conceded two tries from driving mauls and were under pressure. We responded well with three penalties of our own but another two scores before half time sent us in 9-22 at the break. For most of the second half, until the final ten minutes, the score sat at 16-25. In this period we needed to convert the opportunities we created to turn up the heat on Tonbridge. We did work into threatening field positions but, to their credit, the Tonbridge defence was strong all game. Errors at crucial times prevented us from getting over the line until the final play. We know we are not the finished article but, when reviewing the game, we all came away feeling that we hadn’t given our best shot. It’s not lost on me that this will always be much more difficult against teams at the top of the table and performing under the extra intensity of these encounters is one of the next steps in our development.

The week off has given the group a great opportunity to rejuvenate and we have been able to get some players back into training. Tomorrow, we face another stern test as we travel to Barnes, a place in recent seasons that has not seen us put in a performance to be proud of. We couldn’t ask for a better fixture to test ourselves against another team at the top of the league.

The Pilgrims march into the final four games of their season with a five-point lead in the Counties Kent One table. Last time out we had a hard-fought win against Beccehamians which allowed our winning run to continue. We now have back-to-back home games as Dover travel to the Marine Travel ground on Saturday. This has been a fiercely competitive fixture over the last couple of seasons. We’ve had fireworks before, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from the rugby on the pitch this weekend.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

ANOTHER ROAD TRIP

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW
Havant’s record over their previous five home games was something that we were very aware of going into last Saturday. Two wins and losing narrowly in the last five minutes to first, second, and seventh in the table highlights the challenge we were up against. The response by the players to that challenge is something that I am extremely proud of. Our ruthlessness in attack led to some fantastic tries and a total that hasn’t been scored against Havant on their home ground for over a decade. One other aspect that shows the positive growth in the group was during a period of sustained pressure from Havant, just after they had scored. The defensive effort to wrestle back control and territory turned the tide back in our favour and allowed us to finish strongly. Another good Saturday.

This weekend sees us travel the familiar path to Worthing after the cancellation of the game earlier in the month. Worthing have had a difficult start to 2025, playing Tonbridge Juddians followed by Dorking. We know that our second game on the road will be another tough fixture as we look to continue our run of good performances.
Fresh from their week off the Pilgrims host Bromley at the Marine Travel Ground. This is an important fixture as first plays second in an increasingly tight title race. We have a strong team out and they are raring to go. This will be one not to miss.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

CHALLENGING ROAD TRIPS

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW
We wanted to start our year on the right note and last Saturday’s performance was just what we were aiming for. Built on one of the best defensive displays of the season so far, we came out on top in a battle of 4th in the league versus fifth. Our second half try line defence and the way the forwards dealt with the Guernsey maul ultimately made the difference on the scoreboard. As a group, we have spoken about “what’s behind your try line”, what is the personal reason that the players put their bodies on the line for the team to succeed. They showed how strongly they believe in these reasons on Saturday. Although there was some rust, we also had some great moments with the ball in hand and earned another nomination for try of the week. This time not scored by Tom Williams, but he did give the final pass!
We now roll into three weeks on the road, something that I cannot remember doing as a player or coach. I have encouraged the players to adapt their mindset to this challenge. One, if we conquer it will set us up for the business end of the season. Havant have had some good wins and some very near misses in their last five home games and we are expecting a tough fixture, much like the game at the Marine Travel ground.
The Pilgrims enjoy a weekend off following their strong win against Deal and Betteshanger. They stormed to a 40-3 lead by half time, finishing at 54-14. Bromley travel to Merton Lane next week for a game that has been on the horizon for a while. They sit in second place on the same number of losses with a game in hand. One of the Pilgrim’s two defeats this season came at the hands of Bromley and this result will play a big part in deciding who will be top of the league in April.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

THE DORKING CHALLENGE

Posted on | by David Haigh

MATCH PREVIEW

Another stormy Saturday last week but this time we came away with the result we wanted. After a slow start and some early changes, we kicked into gear a earned a bonus point before half time. Too many handling errors in the second forty restricted us and although we did score a try which showed us at our very best, we left some points on the field. Another solid defensive effort kept Oxford scoreless in the second half and this area is going to be tested tomorrow as we travel to Dorking who sit in second place with a game in hand.

Dorking away for the last two seasons has been a disappointing Saturday. Even from their first season in the league, Dorking have been competing at the top of the table. Our disappointment is less from the result and more down to our performance. On both occasions we have conceded over 40 points and only started playing our rugby when the game was out of reach. Our focus this week is to put in a performance that we are proud of. The players are looking forward to the challenge.

The Pilgrims came through their own trial, seeing of fourth place Heathfield and Waldron 26-3. The strength of this team just gets better every week and a real positive from my perspective is the number of players representing the Canons who are part of the 1st XV and Pilgrims squad. We are fortunate to have such a wealth of talent; the players come and stay with us, get better each week and create great rugby memories. This will be tested this weekend as the Pilgrims travel away to Sevenoaks who lie in second place. We know this will be an important result come the end of the season and for us to return home happy will need one of our best performances.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Getting The Job Done

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

I’ve shared a quote with the players previously, and I did again after the Henley game, from the great Bill Belichick. He was head coach of the New England Patriots during their six super bowls winning run. He says: “You get the job done or you don’t”. The first time I read this I didn’t feel that it applied to us; I felt it didn’t take into account all the other factors that can go against you in a game. I now understand that’s why it’s true. In any game you can be in control, in the lead for 79 minutes but to get the job done you have to be in that position for the full 80. To get the job done you have to take the opportunities that you create. The players away at Henley put in a great effort, they worked extremely hard in some of the worst conditions you can play in (I’m sure you’ve seen the photos) but we didn’t get the job done. There’s no shame in our performance but you could see how disappointed the lads were and that’s a not a bad thing.
We went into the week off with some clear objectives and the players have worked hard to make the two weeks of training as productive as possible. The conditions tomorrow are predicted to be a repeat of what we faced at Henley, so we have an opportunity to execute the same game plan, with the focus this week on going the distance.
Last time out, the Pilgrims had a mud fight of their own against Cranbrook. They came out well and truly on top with a 38-0 win. They have a big couple of weeks coming up starting with 4th place Heathfield and Waldron who visit the Marine Travel Ground on Saturday. This is followed by travelling to second place Sevenoaks next week and two wins will put them in a strong position.
Don’t let the weather put you off, with both the 1st XV and the Pilgrims at home for the first time since the start of the season it will be a big weekend at the club with plenty of important rugby on offer.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

HENLEY BLOCK THE WAY

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

Last Saturday our first half performance was easily one of the best in recent years. Going in at 40-7 the players had shown the extent of their ability to move the ball and execute under pressure. This was obviously pleasing from my perspective and I loved the way the team and its leaders controlled the game. At fifty minutes we extended our lead to a margin of 52-14, an impressive score line, and we have spoken in the week about what happened next. Conceding three tries, and the manner of these tries, are not part of our defensive identity. We took our collision intensity down a notch and at national league level all teams will expose this. It is some good feedback that we can’t ignore and if we use the learning will be extremely valuable. The other silver lining is that we wrestled our way back into the driving seat with a twenty two phase attack sequence that ended in us winning a penalty. This was a big moment in the game and swung the momentum back in our direction and we finished with another score. When the pressure begins to build this is exactly the type of understanding and character that the best teams have.
In the blink of an eye we are at the final game this three game block. These short bursts of matches will be the prevailing rhythm for the remainder of the season and to finish this first one off with three wins we must travel to Henley. Henley sit above us on equal points and this has always been a challenging fixture. I feel we have grown a great deal in the last two weeks and Saturday will give us a true test of this progress.
The Pilgrims came through their own test last week away at Dover. A team full of experience and ability ran out 27-43 winners scoring seven tries. This keeps them at the top of the table ahead of their game away at Cranbrook this weekend.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Responding To The challenge

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

In last week’s preview I wrote about both squads chomping at the bit to put the previous losses behind us. I feel that the players really brought this to life, scoring a combined total of 99 points over the two games. Not learning from losing is the real crime and we feel that we have exorcised some demons. Our challenge now, for both teams, is to back up these strong performances. We know many teams in the league yo-yo between good and bad performances, but to be at the top end we have to be consistently producing our best.

In the 1st XV’s game against Old Albanians, the real turnaround from Barnes was our attack execution. We accumulated three attacking errors, and six turnovers compared to thirteen and twenty three two weeks ago. That might sound a bit negative, focusing on making less errors, but this allows the players to express themselves with the ball in hand and there were some fantastic performances across the squad.

Bury visit the Marine Travel Ground tomorrow and they sit just three points behind us even though they have two less wins. Another reminder of the importance of bonus points. They have a number of new faces this season and their league position will only improve as they bed in. I think we’re in for an entertaining afternoon of rugby and I am looking forward to seeing the team respond to the challenge.

Those of you who came to see the Pilgrims last week would have been treated to a great afternoon of rugby, the lads coming out 45-7 winners against Beccehamians. We travel with a strong squad to Dover this weekend, where last year’s end to end game pushed us all the way. We will have to be at our best again to come away with the result and the players are up for it

Matt Corker, Head Coach.

AN IMPORTANT DAY

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY PREVIEW

I have spoken in recent weeks about how we are focusing on our performance, doing the things that we are great at repeatedly. Saturday was mixed in this area which ultimately led to us being disappointed. We left with a valuable point and some equally valuable learnings but not the win we wanted so much.

In the first half we showed control and execution to go in ahead and we feel we even missed some opportunities. The learning we must take from the game is: if we want to mix it with the best in the league we need to perform for the duration. After conceding immediately after half time, which then became three tries in twenty minutes, we let the game get away from us. We had some big moments in the second half when, in try scoring situations, we drifted off our plan and failed to convert pressure into points. To win big games we must convert big moments and if we had executed we would have given ourselves a chance to change the day. The tries we did score were of a high calibre and something we can be proud of but conceding six very rarely ends any another way.

We welcome Barnes to the Marine Travel ground this weekend in the final fixture of this eight game block. This is the longest unbroken sequence of games in the season and we know that to feel happy with our opening run we must perform on Saturday. Barnes sit one place above us in the table and will be throwing everything into what will be an important result for both sides.

The Pilgrims turned out in style in their Friday night lights fixture against Deal and Betteshanger, scoring over 38 points for the third time this season. They travel on Saturday to Bromley, who sit in third, with only one loss to their name so far this season. We look to continue Pilgrims unbeaten run but know it won’t come easy.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER

Posted on | by David Haigh

SATURDAY TEST

It’s always strange when after a five point win you are left feeling unsatisfied, but our performance against Havant gave us many questions to answer. Our discipline was an area that put a great deal of pressure on us, four cards with one being a red. This is a situation we can’t afford to put ourselves in again. Havant kept knocking on the door until the final whistle and had chances to change the scoreline. That said, there were some great defensive sets in the last ten minute that ultimately proved the difference. After playing with 14 for large parts of the game, and even 13 on two occasions, we can celebrate the tries we scored and the resilience the players showed to do what was necessary.
This weekend’s fixture is always a big one in the calendar as Westcombe Park are the visitors to the Marine Travel ground. They sit one point ahead of us in the table after having a strong start to the season themselves, with their only loss also coming away at Guernsey. This fixture is always highly competitive and I’m expecting tomorrow to be another one to remember. This week we have been focusing on getting back to our best, after falling a long way short of it last Saturday.
After two weeks without a game the Pilgrims return to action tomorrow against Park House away. We are sending up another strong team full of experience and ability as they look to continue their unbeaten start to the season. The standard of the team improves every week and this week at training has been one of our most competitive so far.

Matt Corker, Head Coach

Expect A Battle

Posted on | by David Haigh

Away at Guernsey has historically always been a tough fixture and after taking the lead early we put ourselves in a great position. Conceding twice in quick succession put us on the back foot but we scored a well worked try to go in at half time trailing by four points and very much in the game. Within the first fifteen minutes of the second half we had conceded three tries and given ourselves a mountain to climb. The silver lining is that we fought back to within two scores and created enough chances to retake the lead, but our execution at crucial times undermined us.

After some honest conversations this week, we reviewed that we didn’t get to the right level physically for us to earn the win we so badly wanted. Coming away empty handed has dropped us to 6th in the table and for us to keep pace with the top of the league the next three games are very important.

We welcome Havant to the Marine travel ground this weekend, who are new to the league but sit only a few places behind us after four games. They will have learned a lot in the first four rounds and I’m expecting Saturday to be a battle.

The Pilgrims go into their second week without a game, last week’s cancellation and this week’s planned rest weekend means they have had a fortnight off. They are training hard as they prepare for Park House next weekend.

Matt Corker, Head Coach