The Attack Improves

MATCH PREVIEW

The main thrust of what I said this time last week was that we wanted our attack to be better. Scoring six tries and accumulating 42 points was exactly what we wanted. We were much more clinical and hit 48 percent completion, just below the magic 50 percent. Even though we didn’t score a maul try it was much more threatening and created space for us in Sevenoaks’ twenty-two.

This all came after a slow start and going 0–17 behind. Being able to wrestle back momentum when it is going against you is an important quality of good teams and seeing the players dig deep and turn the ship around was really pleasing. Conceding the final try was disappointing and maintaining control when the game loosens up will be something we need to improve on. Tom Williams also had a good day at the office, bagging himself a hat-trick, which could have been four if not for a forward pass.

Our attention this week swiftly moves to Henley which has been a place of near misses. The last two seasons we have fallen short by a point on both occasions and for us to have a better season than we did last year, winning where we haven’t before is the only way to do it. Henley come into the game still unbeaten and I am expecting another close encounter.

The Pilgrims had another tough afternoon away at Horsham. Horsham were relegated last season from Regional 1 and are another strong team. There were lots of positives in the game, scoring 24 points away from home being one of them, and there is also plenty of learning. This weekend they play Gravesend at the Marine Travel Ground. The team are pushing hard in training and you can see the growth in the players. These are exactly the experiences that we wanted to give our players so they can develop whichever team they play for and they will be hunting down their first win on Saturday.

MATT CORKER, HEAD COACH