Injury-ravaged Cranleigh fall to third narrow league defeat in a row

In a week when the Cranleigh squad had been ravaged with injuries, they got their Surrey 2 game at home to Old Rutlishians off to the best possible start by scoring a try in the first five minutes.
Action from Cranleigh v Old Rutlishians. Picture by WPS Photography/Mark CunninghamAction from Cranleigh v Old Rutlishians. Picture by WPS Photography/Mark Cunningham
Action from Cranleigh v Old Rutlishians. Picture by WPS Photography/Mark Cunningham

Tom Wade, making his first appearance at hooker, collected the ball on the Rut’s 22 metre line and having driven through a maul, raced away to score.

Curtis Beecroft duly converted to give the Cranes a seven point lead.

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Cranleigh maintained the pressure on their opponents but were unable to convert position and pressure into points.

Rutlishians only made two breaks in the Crane’s 22 but the second earned them a penalty near the posts for handling in the ruck. That made the score 7-3.

On 35 minutes, a Rut’s wing forward was sin binned for a deliberate knock on, but the score remained 7-3 at half-time.

The second half started like the first with Cranleigh dominating in the scum.

However too often handling errors stopped their momentum.

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With ten minutes to go, their back row and fly-half combined to create a gap in the Cranes defence.

The resulting try was dotted down under the posts, meaning the easy conversion put them 7-10 up.

Cranleigh pinned Rutlishians back in their own half, but losing two of their own line outs and slow recycling of possession conspired to thwart their efforts.

The game ended 7-10 to Rutlishians.

For coaches, players and supporters alike this was frustrating result, being the third narrow league defeat in a row.

The Cranes travel to Caterhamians next week desperate for a win.