Cardiff Harlequins A 19-3 Bath 2s
Zenith West Division 2
13th March 2010
From the outside, it would be easy to assume that Harlequins’ focus this season has been dominated by the seemingly inexorable march of the 1st team towards the West Division 1 title. The manner and, for the most part, ease with which Harlequins have performed this season has resulted in a deserved 5 point cushion at the top of the Division 1, and the comforting fact that all their nearest rivals have already been defeated means that they now need just a single point to claim the league title. It may come as something of a surprise then, to learn that they will not be this season’s first league champions. For whilst much attention has been devoted to the exploits of the first team, Cardiff Harlequins A have been quietly and successfully putting together an unbeaten season and, with this emphatic win over challengers Bath 2s, have been crowned West Division 2 league champions and booked themselves a place in Division 1 next year.
Cardiff Harlequins A
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BACK ROW(l-r): Matt Wills, Tom Stringer, Jonathan Aspinall, Joey Rickman, James Cooper, Joe Staton, Dave Elmes(c), James Gibson, Gareth Bolderson, Ant Brookes |
FRONT ROW (l-r): Harry Dryden, Matt Grindle, Gareth Willis, Mark Geraghty, Dave Austin |
With a league title at stake, it is perhaps unsurprising that Cardiff managed to line-up with virtually its strongest possible squad, the only absentee being midfielder Paris Hawkes who was making his first team debut after impressing for the As in recent weeks. Indeed, the attack trio of Jonathan Aspinall, Mark Geraghty and Gareth Bolderson would not look out of place in any Division 1 side, and would cause problems for most premiership defences for that matter. The fact that Bath 2s travelled to face a 15-strong Harlequins squad with just 9 men, including several teenagers still learning the game, is credit to an opposition who are committed to growing the game and they battled gamely throughout.
However, their greater numbers, greater experience and greater desire for the win carried Harlequins to a fine victory. Bath 2s had no answer for the force of firepower provided by the Quins attacking triumvirate, who contributed 17 of the 19 goals as well as dishing out 13 assists between them. At the other end, club stalwart Matthew Grindle was back between the pipes to give the Bath offence a frustrating day by keeping out virtually everything they could throw at him. However, those chances were limited by the Cardiff defence of Gareth Willis, Dave Austin, Joe Staton, Joey Rickman and Ant Brookes who kept the visitors to just 3 goals.
Regardless of the strength of any attack unit, they can do little without possession of the ball. The only blip in Harlequins’ season so far has been a draw away to Portsmouth University, when Quins’ 9-man squad struggled to control the game and its strong attack was starved of possession. Although their superior numbers on this occasion helped, the workrate and tenacity of the midfield reinforced that advantage to ensure a steady supply to the offense. Tom Stringer was once again a dominant force at face-off, and given ample support from Dave Elmes, James Cooper, Harry Dryden, leading scorer James Gibson and the experienced Matt Wills.
Ultimately it was a comfortable win for Harlequins to cap a hugely successful season, and they will be hopeful to carry this form into the Flags Final when a memorable league and cup double is up for grabs. The success of Harlequins A this season is also a tribute to the hard work and dedication of captain Dave Elmes. Despite never managing to field the same side two weeks in succession, Elmes has crafted a team capable of beating anyone in the division regardless of personnel, and on those occasions when numbers have been desperately low, his willingness to travel with less than the required 10 men has reaped rewards with valuable wins picked up when conceding matches might have been the easier option. All eyes will now turn to that Flags Final clash with Southampton University, as Elmes and his men look to put the gloss on an already exceptional season.
