LONDON CHARGERS 32 – 42 BRISTOL ALL GOLDS
Christopher Wilson at King’s School Sports Ground, Chiswick
SUMMARY
The Bristol All Golds scored five converted tries in the last ten minutes of an astonishing game to grab a stunning 42-32 victory from the jaws of defeat. The game turned sensationally in an unbelievable passage of play that went from the All Golds being denied a try at one end to the Chargers scoring at the other.
The All Golds had trailed 8-6 at the break, Oli Winterbottom’s try, goaled by Callum Merrett being cancelled out by Aleksander Al-Shamiry and Lamont Bryan’s unconverted scores.
In the second half, Tom Baxter’s try following Bryant’s second score kept the margin at two points, but tries from Nathan Naqvi, Cal Linton and Al-Shamiry, all improved by Morgan Jackson saw the Chargers leading 32-12 with ten minutes left on the watch. Al-Shamiry’s effort came from a brilliant length of the field counter-attack after Brandon Lamb had lost the ball trying to score for the All Golds.
However, the All Golds got up from the canvas and Merrett recovered his own short kick-off leading to Winterbottom’s second try. Merrett was in himself following Tega Rume-Tabiowo’s 50-metre charge from the restart. Adam Turner scored from dummy half on the last tackle of the next set to cut the lead to 32-30. Merrett then grabbed his second from his own chip and chase, Winterbottom adding the extras, to edge the All Golds in front and they sealed the win with Rume-Tabiowo diving over on the last play of the game, Winterbottom adding his third goal to cap an unbelievable comeback.
FULL REPORT
The Bristol All Golds scored five converted tries in the last ten minutes of an astonishing game to grab a stunning victory from the jaws of defeat. The game turned sensationally following an unbelievable passage of play that went from the All Golds being denied a try at one end to the Chargers scoring at the other.
Before the game turned completely on its head, it had been a tight encounter with only a few points between the sides.
The Chargers had taken an early lead after 11 minutes with Aleksander Al-Shamiry finishing a neat move started by former Gloucestershire All Golds forward Lamont Bryan with a clever pass to Daniel Maloney who provided the assist.
Morgan Jackson hooked the conversion attempt wide, but the All Golds were quick to respond.
The Chargers dropped the ball from the restart and Oli Winterbottom scored from a well-executed scrum move. Callum Merrett added the extras to nudge the All Golds ahead.
The lead lasted barely five minutes as Bryan went over from close range, but again, Jackson missed an inviting kick at goal to leave the score 8-6 after a quarter of the game had gone.
Chargers’ scrum half Shay Flanagan, who had earlier blown a great opportunity to score following Bryan’s break, was stopped millimetres short of the line and lost the ball trying to ground it as the home side looked to extend their advantage.
The All Golds then had three consecutive sets in midfield that came to nothing before the teams went set for set for no result leading up to the interval, which was a welcome break in the hot and sunny conditions.
The Chargers began the second period with some purpose and immediately went on the attack. The All Golds defended desperately though they had Russ Preston sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle.
The All Golds held out for the next set but conceded a six-again on the last tackle and Bryan crashed over under to posts for his second try. Jackson added the goal to edge the Chargers out to a 14-6 lead.
Tega Rume-Tabiowo was proving a handful for the Chargers’ defence and from his powerful charge five minutes later, Callum Merrett sent Tom Baxter smashing over the line, Merrett adding the goal from wide out.
The Chargers then took what seemed to be full control of the game. Nathan Naqvi went over after 53 minutes with the All Golds hoping for an obstruction call in their favour, and then Flanagan’s break was finished by Cal Linton on the hour mark. Jackson goaled both for a 26-12 advantage.
That seemed to be that for the result but the All Golds still had some fight in them and from a penalty for a high tackle on Joe Daly, Brandon Lamb was given space and an open line out wide, but he chose to cut back inside and Maloney knocked the ball loose with a strong tackle.
The Chargers immediately turned defence into attack moving the ball 80 metres upfield with some excellent support play only stopped by a desperate tackle on Isaac Greene almost on the All Golds’ try-line.
Al-Shamiry was put in for his second try from the play-the-ball and Jackson’s fourth goal of the day gave the hosts a surely unassailable 32-12 lead with ten minutes remaining.
However, the All Golds had other ideas, and the wheels fell off spectacularly for the Chargers.
They did not have the ball in hand for the rest of the match as the All Golds turned things around in incredible fashion with some brilliant rugby league.
The fightback began as Merrett regathered his short restart to begin an attack that developed down the left. Mike Harrison was stopped short of the line, but he offloaded to Winterbottom who dived over.
Merrett nailed the conversion from wide out to cut into the deficit to 32-18.
From the restart, Rume-Tabiowo, broke through the Chargers’ line and found Merrett in support for a superb long-range try under the posts that Merrett had no difficulty converting to leave just eight points between the teams.
The Chargers were now merely bystanders as the All Golds again took play forward from the restart and on the last tackle, Adam Turner forced his way over. Winterbottom added the goal to cut the lead to just two points.
Still the All Golds came forward and Merrett chipped over the defence, regathered and beat the full-back to score under the posts. Winterbottom, added the goal to sensationally give the All Golds a 36-32 lead with four minutes left.
The Chargers tried to regain possession with a short kick-off but the ball failed to go ten metres, giving the All Golds a penalty on half-way, more possession and an opportunity for the coup de grace.
They took the ball to the line and fittingly, the excellent Rume-Tabiowo went through a hole in the defence and finished with a swan dive to put the icing on the cake. Winterbottom’s goal was the last kick of a game that will live long in the memory of those privileged to watch it and of those who made it possible.
In one fell swoop, the All Golds achieved their stated aims for the season: To finish in the top four and to beat one of the top three teams that have dominated on the SCL almost since its inception.
In a fortnight comes the next big test with a semi-final away at Hammersmith.
MatchStats
Teams:
CHARGERS: Morgan Jackson; Aleksander Al-Shamiry, Louis Godfrey, Daniel Maloney, Nathan Naqvi; Isaac Greene, Shay Flanagan; Corie Shorrock, Eric Sims, Akintokunbo Adebayo; Josh Allenby, Lamot Bryan; Calum Linton; INTERCHANGE: Jaidan Reeder, Aghogho Ejiro, Christopher Martin, Jake Clisby.
Scorers:
Tries: Al-Shamiry (11, 66), Bryan (19, 42), Naqvi (53), Linton (60)
Goals: Jackson 4 from 6
ALL GOLDS: Oli Winterbottom; Brandon Lamb, Morgan Lewis, Mason Ball, Dom Williams; Greg Hamilton, Callum Merrett; Tom Baxter, Adam Turner, Brandon Ball; Tega Rume-Tabiowo, Joe Daly; Mike Harrison; INTERCHANGE: Russ Preston, Harrison Clifford.
Scorers:
Tries: Winterbottom (14, 69), Baxter (47), Merrett (71, 76), Turner (73), Rume-Tabiowo (79)
Goals: Merrett 4 from 4, Winterbottom 3 from 3
Scoring sequence: 4-0, 4-6, 8-6, (HT), 14-6, 14-12, 20-12-, 26-12, 32-12, 32-18, 32-24, 32-30, 32-36, 32-42, (FT)
Penalties: Chargers 4-6 All Golds
Sin-Bin: Russ Preston (All Golds) Dangerous tackle
Referee: Gareth Winnard (RFL)
All Golds Player of the Match: The All Golds’ pack was awesome against the Chargers, running powerfully and tackling hard throughout the game in very warm conditions but the stand-out was Tega Rume Tabiowo and it was fitting that, after setting up the position for a try early in the second half, he was instrumental in creating Callum Merrett’s first try as the All Golds came back from the dead and scored the final try that sealed a famous win.
IMAGE: Oli Winterbottom crossing for his first try against the Chargers
(Image courtesy Mediapac Sports Photography)