Old Freemen's 1st XV Reports 2007 - 2008 Season
16th Feb 08 - Old Caterhamians 26 Old Freemen's 36 (Surrey Shield 3rd Round / League)
by Tom Innes
Unveiling a brand of attacking rugby that they have hinted at but delivered only sporadically in the season to date, Old Freemen’s blitzed to victory on Saturday.
The encounter against Old Caterhamians was a double triumph, as fixture congestion had meant the Surrey Division One league encounter was also a Surrey Shield match.
After some good opening drives by the Freemen’s pack it was the Cats’ backs who broke the deadlock as some pacy running and handling, allied to poor defence, left them 12 points ahead after as many minutes. It was to Freemen’s credit that they stemmed the tide, scored a try of their own through James Williams from Rob Tyrell’s flipped pass, and ended the half in arrears by ‘only’ 20-7.
Needing to translate the advantage of the sloping pitch into early second half points, Freemen’s took only two minutes to strike, when Jon Ormrod’s fine break down the left culminated in Richard Butterfield burrowing over. The good work was partially undone when Cats converted an easy penalty chance awarded for back-chat (23-12).
But Freemen’s pegged the home team back in their half and tries began to flow: Ormrod shot through to touch down in the 51st minute and skipper Jon Hobbs latched onto Duncan Billane’s chip and raced to the line 10 minutes later. Then scrum half Dom Smith spotted a half-gap next to a maul and raced through like Matt Dawson on England’s famous night in Sydney, the only difference being that Smith went all the way.
To the delight of the small bunch of visiting supporters, Freemen’s cemented victory with their sixth, and arguably finest try, after 78 minutes with replacement lock Tom Fair rounding off a dazzling move with the scoring pass to Billane.
Cats, who had managed just one further penalty amid the whirl of tries, finished 10 points adrift and shell-shocked by the second-half reverse, which left them out of the cup and a point behind Freemen’s in the still-congested league table.
Freemen’s 2nd XV notched a 15-5 success over Raynes Park to make it nine straight wins in the JONAP Surrey Conference Division 3.
This weekend Freemen’s, sponsored by Volkspeed Engineering, travel to Chipstead for the Incentive FM Surrey Shield quarter final, starting at 2.15pm. A club XV will visit Old Walcountians.
Old Freemen’s: Charalambous (Moodie), March, Walstow, Tyrrell, Beech (Fair), Daniels, Barnett, Butterfield, Smith, Billane, Ormrod, Hobbs (c), Norval, Hess, Williams. Sub: Haywood.
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9th Feb 08 - Old Freemen's 14 Battersea Ironsides 16 (League)
by Tom Innes
Freemen’s supporters were aghast to see their team give a convincing impression of England in the Six Nations opener against Wales. They started the Surrey Division One game strongly and looked comfortable after 50 minutes, only to be pegged back and lose their lead, and the game.
Freemen’s pack began impressively, as they had left off the previous week, and the visitors seemed to have little in response other than their fly half’s booming clearance kicks.
Anthony Rouse’s 18th-minute penalty was the only score until a burst of activity just before the break.
Freemen’s stretched their lead to 11 points through another Rouse penalty and Jon Ormrod’s try when a mis-hit kick gave him room to dash 35 metres to the line. Battersea hit back with a penalty of their own and were pressing for a try when a knock-on close to the line triggered the half-time whistle with the score 11-3.
The turning point of the game came 10 minutes into the second period, and as with England/Wales, the home team’s full-back made a key error. As yet another Battersea kick arrowed towards touch, Rouse essayed a volleyball-style overhead tap to keep it in play. He succeeded in doing this, only for the ball to drop to an opponent who hacked on 30 metres, and scored a try which was converted (11-10).
The visitors self-belief grew massively, and although Rouse made partial amends with a penalty to make it 14-10 he had further trouble with a kick-through leading to a penalty for the visitors, who struck again soon afterwards to take the lead for the first time.
Freemen’s regrouped and gained the territory they required to win the match. As injury time commenced a series of forward drives took the ball agonisingly close before fly half Duncan Billane called for the ball. Sadly for the home team and fans his drop-kick was scuffed and the siege was lifted.
This weekend Freemen’s travel to play Old Caterhamians in a ‘double-header’ game that is both a league game, between two teams just a point apart in the table, and a Surrey Shield last 16 encounter, starting at 2pm. The 2nd XV, beaten 35-0 in a friendly by Hammersmith & Fulham last weekend, are home to Raynes Park at 2.30pm.
Freemen’s: Walstow, March, Charalambous, Tyrrell, Beech, Daniels, Barnett, Butterfield, Smith, Billane, Ormrod, Hobbs, Turk, Barrett, Rouse. Subs: Moodie, Gotto, Tabbah.
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2nd Feb 08 - Old Freemen's 23 Old Whitgiftians 14 (League)
by Tom Innes
Freemen’s completed a league double over their old rivals with this well-deserved victory at Ashtead Park. Two precious league points were the result, leaving the winners sixth of the 10 teams in Surrey’s competitive Division One league table.
Freemen’s looked to establish themselves early on in the game, both through the power of the pack and the attacking thrust from the backs. Barely five minutes had passed when skipper Jon Hobbs took advantage of the damage caused to the Whitgiftian defence by successive driving phases by the pack. Hobbs fired a flat pass to winger Jon Hess, whose dummy inside began almost before he caught the ball, wrong-footing his opposite number and setting up a 30-metre dash to the line.
Eager to consolidate their third place in the league, and avenge the 19-15 reverse to Freemen’s in Croydon last November, Whits hit back in the 12th minute. A midfield scissors move led to big gains down the right, and when the ball was spun left skipper James Schad found himself opposed by Freemen’s prop Alex Moodie and comfortably evaded the tackle to score The conversion gave the visitors a 7-5 lead.
The Freemen’s pack increased their dominance as the match developed, driving powerfully around the fringes and earning several penalties. Lock Rob Tyrrell was the stand-out forward, but his seven colleagues lost little in comparison. One good chance was spurned by Hobbs when his kick to the corner went the wrong side of the goal line, although the Whitgift response was to fire a long 22 drop-out straight into touch and hand back the initiative. Shortly afterwards Jimmy Williams showed great pace in a thrust from full-back, but failed to gather his kick ahead.
The hard work of the Freemen’s pack was translated into points five minutes before the break with a textbook series of drives which began about 30 metres from the try-line. Each ball-carrier made ground and was immediately supported by his team-mates to ensure continuity. By the time the ball was within five-metre range Whitgiftians had moreorlesss run out of numbers to repel the drive, and flanker Simon Daniels, showing great strength, barrelled over. Hobbs’ conversion made the score 12-7 at the break.
Early second-pressure saw the Whitgift fly-half ‘sacked’ by the Freemen’s back row, resulting in a penalty chance for Hobbs which went narrowly wide. But another forward drive, with Tyrrell again to the fore, earned a similar chance which Hobbs slotted (15-7).
Replacement wing Jon Ormrod made his presence felt soon after replacing Richard Turk with a searing diagonal burst and soon after the hour mark it was Hess on the other wing who provided another good finish in the corner (20-7).
If there was a disappointment for Freemen’s it was the fact that they allowed Whitgiftians to work their way back into the game, a converted try making the score 20-14 with just over 10 minutes left and causing some anxious moments for Freemen’s players and spectators alike. But the visitors subsequent attempts were repelled, with a fine defensive effort led by the back row and centre Anthony Rouse and Reyno Norval. Freemen’s then worked their way upfield to earn another penalty which Hobbs slotted to guarantee the win.
After several comfortable victories in their Merit Table league, Freemen’s 2nd XV had to resort to something altogether uglier and grittier with a 13-6 win over Merton.
This weekend the 2nd team go to Old Amplefordians while Freemen’s 1sts entertain Battersea Ironsides, who currently lie ninth in the table but are just three points behind Freemen’s.
Old Freemen’s: Charalambous, March, Moodie, Beech, Tyrrell, Daniels, Shipp, Butterfield, Smith, Hobbs, Turk, Rouse, Norval, Hess, Williams. Subs (all used): Hodges, Mitchell, Ormrod.
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26th Jan 08 - Old Alleynian 25 Old Freemen's 10 (League)
by Roger Seymour
Freemen’s spirited showing in defeat at second-placed Old Alleynian on Saturday left them pondering what might have been if hard-won penalties had been converted. With a 15-point deficit, the missed kicks at goal could have swung the balance.
A journey to Dulwich is always a challenge and when Alleynian scythed through untouched for an opening try after only three minutes, it looked like it might become a nightmare. Freemen’s immediately bounced back into attack. Quick ball at a scrum on the 22 was whipped out on the short-side by Dom Smith to skipper Jon Hobbs who unleashed Jimmy Williams with a deft scoring pass.
Throughout the game, Hobbs led his line with some decisive tackling but the admirably clear referee soon caught Freemen’s backs off-side and Alleynian took the penalty points to regain the lead.
Watched by their Coach, international Nick Easter, Alleynian’s line-out produced a good supply of ball for their backs, notably their influential inside centre, but Freemen’s defended well and created chances themselves, notably the penalty awards.
Flanker Simon Daniels enhanced a growing reputation alongside Richard Butterfield and Alex Shipp, and Chas March and Malcolm Beech foraged tirelessly. Prop Lee Walstow saved a certain try with a tap-tackle just before half-time but Alleynian recycled and used the full width of the pitch to score on the left wing, making it 5 –13 at the break.
The third quarter saw Alleynian turn the screw as Freemen’s battled to keep them at bay, but they were unable to prevent two further tries. It looked bleak for the visitors into the final quarter when they lost their ballast as both Rob Tyrrell and Nicos Charalambous were injured. This served to add to Freemen’s determination as they rallied and produced twenty minutes of dominance during which Alex Moodie crashed over for a try.
The upbeat finishing display, despite the 10-25 score, gave sufficient positive signs ahead of this Saturday’s rearranged League game at home to Old Whitgiftian.
Freemen’s: Williams, Ormrod (Hess), Norval, Hobbs (capt), Turk, Billane, Smith; Moodie (Charalambous), March, Walstow, Tyrrell (Barnett), Beech, Daniels, Shipp, Butterfield.
Freemen’s thirds met Old Cranleighans Vets XV and, despite shipping 29 first half points, produced a drawn second-half, final score 5 – 34, try scorer Mike von Speyr.
This weekend, Freemen’s table-topping second XV hope to get back into action for the first time in four weeks due to previous cancellations.
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19th Jan 08 - Postponed v Old Whitgiftians (League)
by Tom Innes
Unlike televised professional rugby, which seems to take place in moreorless any weather, amateur clubs are obliged to heed the word of their groundsman before taking to the field.
Thus it was that for the second consecutive Saturday Old Freemen’s 1st XV fixture at Ashtead Park was cancelled. The day itself dawned dry, but the damage had been done by heavy rain earlier in the week and following liaison between OFRFC president Bill Deighton and City of London Freemen’s School head of PE – W.T. Deighton – on Friday morning the decision was taken.
In the absence of any action on the pitch players and supporters enjoyed a beer festival and buffet lunch at the clubhouse, superbly organised by Mike Bailey and Irene Gummer respectively. And there was a chance to watch the pros splashing about in the mud in Heineken Cup action from Reading, Leicester and Limerick.
While no-one can account for the weather, and churning up pitches with half the season still to come would be regrettable, the twin cancellations leave something of a fixture log-jam for the Ashtead Park outfit.
With 12 weekends up to and including the final designated day of the season on April 12, Freemen’s have eight league games and a possible four cup encounters left in the season. Subject to consultation with the powers that be, this is likely to mean a double-header weekend at the start of February, with the rearranged league encounter against Old Whitgiftians taking place on Saturday February 2, and the Surrey Shield match against Old Caterhamians 24 hours later, both at Ashtead Park. Extra substitutes – up to a maximum of seven – are permitted for the second game, but nevertheless playing resources will be stretched.
Before then Freemen’s 1sts are scheduled to resume action in Surrey Division One with a trip to second-placed Old Alleynians this Saturday, starting at 2.15pm. The 2nd XV are at home to Old Cranleighans in a Merit Table game, while the 3rds are also scheduled for a home outing.
In the two games to survive the weather in Surrey One this weekend, Caterhamians beat bottom-placed Cranleigh 18-15 while London Exiles pipped Battersea Ironsides 6-3. Freemen’s remain seventh in the table, three points above Cranleigh but also just three points behind third-placed Whitgiftians.
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5th Jan 08 - Croydon 8 Old Freemen's 3 (League)
by Tom Innes
Another year, another tight victory margin in a Surrey One league game involving Old Freemen’s. Determined, but lacking self-discipline and largely toothless in attack, the Old Boys had to concede the two points to their hosts.
Freemen’s were forced to reshuffle their squad close to kick-off when skipper Jon Hobbs was delayed on his return from a skiing holiday, arriving at the ground only minutes before kick-off and dropping to the bench as a result.
Stand-in fly half Reyno Norval had the chance of three early points, but no kicking tee was to hand and the penalty from 25 metres went wide. Before too long Freemen’s were forced onto the back foot as Croydon drove forward, using the wind at their backs with some searching kicks.
During one attack Freemen’s seemed to have their opponents measure until a member of the Croydon backline embarked on a burst towards the line that took him through several tackles for a try that went unconverted.
The spectre of back-chat to the referee reared its head several times, mainly from Freemen’s, and continued even when the referee made it clear he would punish the offence. Veteran forward Chas March lambasted his colleagues for not holding their tongues, but a further offence saw a penalty moved forward 10 metres and easily converted to put the hosts 8-0 up.
The closing stages of the first half saw the hosts press forward for a crucial third score, but Freemen’s rearguard was impressive as a series of driving mauls – Croydon’s use of their threequarters was rare – were repelled, and eventually Norval raised the siege with a crucial turnover.
There were grounds for optimism at the break, especially as Freemen’s had the wind at their backs to aid the booming, if underused, tactical kicking of full back Anthony Rouse. Hobbs entered the fray after an injury to Norval and Jon Bird replaced Simon Daniels in the back row.
The first kickable penalty chance for Freemen’s was spurned in favour of a quick-tap that narrowly failed to bear fruit, but the next chance was slotted by Hobbs to make it 8-3 after 52 minutes. A further attempt from longer range a few minutes later seemed well-struck but fell just short.
Tempers became heated in the second half, notably when a Croydon forward took exception to a display of the ‘dark arts’ of back-row display by Bird on the floor of a ruck and put the boot in, sparking a flair-up and earning himself 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Freemen’s endeavoured to press home the advantage of their extra man, but failed to sustain any of their attacking drives, with the home team equal to everything that was thrown at them, even if they rarely looked like adding further points of their own.
A penalty close to the halfway line with just a couple of minutes left on the clock seemed to offer the chance of a lifeline via a kick to the corner and an attacking lineout, but this chance was rejected in favour of another fruitless tap-and-go, and soon afterwards the final whistle was blown.
With some impressive defence, a few key absentees and the misfortune of the skipper’s delayed flight, the result was far from a disaster for Freemen’s but served notice of the improvement required before the next league fixture at home to Old Whitgiftians on Saturday week.
Old Freemen’s slipped to seventh in the league, with eight points, one behind four rival teams in a division where every team, with the exception of clear leaders Kingston, seem capable of beating any other.
Following the postponement of the Merit Table game against Old Blues, Freemen’s 2nd XV destroyed their counterparts Mitcham by 60-5, with the world, and his wife, among the try-scorers, while there was a result to cherish for the 3rd XV and hard-working skipper Richard Adams, whose merry men beat Old Hamptonians 22-5.
This weekend sees three home games scheduled at Ashtead Park, with the 1st XV entertaining Old Caterhamians in a Surrey Shield third round tie. With extra time a possibility the cup game will start at 1.30pm, while the 2nd and 3rd XVs go into battle at a more conventional 2.15pm.
Old Freemen’s: Walstow, March, Moodie, Tyrrell, Fair, Daniels (Bird), Barnett (Shipp), Butterfield, Ormrod, Norval (Hobbs), Bambrick, Catling, Reece, Hess, Rouse.
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15th Dec 07 - Old Freemen's 13 Cranleigh 5 (League)
by Tom Innes
Two precious league points was the Christmas gift both teams wanted, and Old Freemen’s were the team unwrapping their present after a game that was more entertaining than the scoreline might suggest.
The temperature at Ashtead Park was such that it was unclear whether spectators were shouting “Old Free’s” or “cold freeze” at some points. At least there eventually were some spectators present – at kick-off the 36 players comfortably outnumbered those watching, but a decent contingent was in place by half-time.
The latecomers missed a superb try from the home team after just six minutes. A hesitant Cranleigh defence allowed Dugald Loughnan’s chip ahead to bounce, and first to seize the loose ball was Freemen’s Tom Fair, who charged forward and took the ball into contact with real purpose. Fair’s second row partner Rob Tyrrell played a key role in the swift recycling of the ball, picking it off his shoelaces and feeding it left where Reyno Norval gave the scoring pass to winger John Ormrod (5-0).
Cranleigh, bottom of Surrey Division One prior to kick-off, replied with some concerted pressure, but Freemen’s defence was made of sterner stuff than in previous weeks – tackles were made, lineouts close to their goal line were safely won and touch kicks were landed. A kick-and-chase was as close as the visitors came, but Marcus Hodges was first to touch down the loose ball.
The closest Freemen’s came to adding to their lead was when Tyrrell rampaged forwards from a lineout, and Norval and Chas March went close, but the danger was cleared.
A tight call against Freemen’s for not releasing the ball gave Cranleigh the chance to get on the scoreboard five minutes after the break, but the visiting place kicker, displaying a style even more eccentric than Jonny Wilkinson, struck the left-hand upright from 30 metres.
Reyno Norval then had two penalty attempts for Freemen’s – for the first he used a sand wedge when an eight-iron was required, and the ball fell short, but the second was safely landed to make it 8-0.
Both teams continued to play attacking rugby. One fine dummy from fly-half Jon Hobbs split open the Cranleigh defence, but Fair couldn’t hold on to the pass or a try would have resulted.
Cranleigh were also looking to spread the ball wide, but in the end this was their undoing – a flat, looping pass across the midfield was picked off by Ormrod, who juggled the interception and then hared 50 metres to the line (13-0).
Freemen’s tight defensive effort looked like it might result in a creditable clean sheet, but the one blip came after 70 minutes when Hobbs’ clearance was charged down, and a member of the Cranleigh pack followed through to score.
A successful conversion could have narrowed the gap to six points, but the kick went wide, and Freemen’s were able to finish the game in relative comfort, especially when the referee called a halt to proceedings after 38 minutes of the second half.
The game was a farewell appearance for Dugald Loughnan, whose 12 month placement at the City of London Freemen’s School ends this month and will be returning to his native Australia. During the post-match send-off, his colleagues discovered that his tenacious tackling was in inverse proportion to his ability to down a yard of ale!
The win sees Freemen’s, sponsored by Volkspeed Engineering, head into the Christmas break in fifth place in Surrey Division One, with eight points, although three teams are just a point behind in a table that remains extremely tight. Several more wins will be necessary in the New Year to ensure the club’s league status is retained.
Old Freemen’s: Charalambous, March, Walstow (Moodie), Fair, Tyrrell, Daniels, Shipp, Butterfield, Smith, Hobbs (c), Hodges, Catling, Norval, Ormrod, Loughnan. Subs: Barnett, Bambrick.
The Freemen’s 2nd XV stayed top in their merit table challenge thanks to a 27-10 away victory at Cranleigh. Reece and Hutt both grabbed a brace of tries, Tom McKee scored a fifth and Jem Davies added a conversion. Meanwhile the 3rd XV battled bravely against youthful opponents from Old Reigatians but eventually lost 32-0.
This Saturday the club’s sprightly youths will pit their wits against the grizzled veterans in the annual Under 25 versus Over 25 fixture. Kick-off at Ashtead Park is at 2pm.
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1st Dec 07 - London Exiles 22 Old Freemen's 7 (League)
by Tom Innes
South-west London in December could never be confused with the South Pacific, but Old Freemen’s struggled to cope with the Fijian-style flair of their hosts London Exiles.
Struggling to compete at the scrummage, Exiles relied on some bold attacking moves and Freemen’s played into their hands with some loose kicking from hand and poor tackling.
The first score came from a scrum in the exiles half that the Freemen pack were shunting backwards. But the number eight managed to extricate the ball and inspired a 60-meter move that ended with a try, and conversion (7-0).
About halfway through the first half the home team struck again and took the score to 12-0 with another try, with a third touchdown threatening to take the game away from the visitors (17-0).
Freemen’s had managed some isolated moments of attacking flair and it was from one such move, inspired by winger Marcus Hodges, that Richard Butterfield snaffled the ball from an Exiles lineout and used his strength to power over. Tom McKee’s conversion made it 17-7 and gave hope for the visitors with half time approaching. But in fact by the break Exiles had stretched their lead back to 15 points with the last move of the half, a quick tap penalty resulting in a score in the left-hand corner – a real blow to Freemen’s ambitions.
The second half was an even affair, but Freemen’s needed an early try in order to get back into the game, but were unable to achieve this. Exiles had some moments of their own but found a more determined defensive effort by Freemen’s standing between them and further points.
Once the match past the hour mark it began to lose shape – Freemen’s knew that the three scores required weren’t going to arrive, and Exiles were happy to coast to an easy victory, their third of the campaign, after a scoreless second period.
Surrey Division One remains the tightest league in the entire London & South-East pyramid. Kingston head it with a maximum 16 points, Old Alleynians have 12, but then the remaining eight teams all have between 9 and 5 points, with Freemen’s, who have 6 points, knowing a home win against Cranleigh on December 15 is a must.
Old Freemen’s: Walstow (Moodie), Acton (Walstow), Charalambous, Fair (Loughnan), Tyrrell, Shipp (Daniels), Barnett, Butterfield, Smith, Hobbs, Hodges, Bambrick, Billane, Ormrod, Mckee.
Freemen’s 2nd XV steam-rollered their counterparts from Reigate by 41-0 at Ashtead Park. Chas March and Marcus Bolton scored two tries each, with others from Rhys Warren-Evans, Mark Mitchell and Jem Davies. Davies also notched three conversions.
This weekend both the 1st and 2nd teams are due to play Old Paulines at home, with a 3rd XV fixture also planned. Confirmation of this will be available on www.oldfreemens.co.uk on Friday.
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24th Nov 07 - Old Freemen's 20 Croydon 10 (League)
by James Hutchison
Old Freemen’s secured another important victory at Ashtead Park on Saturday, launching them up the Surrey 1 league table further away from the danger of relegation - the 20-10 win sees the team move to 5th place in the county’s top flight.
The performance also demonstrated some of the potential of this young side that has continued to improve through the first half of the season. Captain Jon Hobbs is looking to play a more expansive style of rugby, and the way he marshalled the back line to play with pace and direction suggests they are making progress towards this goal.
Nevertheless, the foundations on which the club’s recent success has been built continued to look solid, with the Freemen’s forwards holding their own against a strong Croydon pack. The Away side was looking to play a tight game, using their effective rolling maul to rumble forwards, and this led to their first try as they crashed over from close range midway through the first half.
The Freemen’s pack, spearheaded by the sensational back row of Alex Shipp, Tim Barnett and Richard Butterfield rose to the challenge and tirelessly defended the narrow channels, looking for turnover ball. Much of the first half was played in the centre of the field, with neither set of forwards able to convincingly gain the upper hand, and 5-0 was the half-time score.
After the break, Freemen’s class began to show, and they started to dominate territory and possession, allowing the centre partnership of Reyno Norval and Duncan Billane to play with more width and time on the ball. The backs began to run with more and more pace in attack, and a few line breaks and deft offloads, notably from Norval, put the opposition on the back foot.
Early in the half, the pressure began to tell when Butterfield capitalised on a mistake at a Croydon lineout deep in their half, and accelerated through the bemused defence to level the scores. With the crowd now on their toes, another scintillating backs move shortly afterwards saw the prolific try machine, Marcus Hodges, put into space and he didn’t need a second invitation to finish in the corner. If Stuart Dickinson had been on hand, the television official may have been called upon, but the referee judged that his foot had not touched the line and the try was awarded.
The third try came from a thrilling break through midfield by Hobbs who skillfully offloaded to Norval who carried another 15 yards. As the move looked like it was ending, Butterfield pounced again, ripping the ball away and he was bundled over under the posts by Shipp and Tom Fair who were always close in support.
Although Croydon scored a try of their own, Tom Mckee put the game out of reach with a penalty to secure the vital league points and round off an accomplished display that saw Freemen’s demonstrate both their power in the forwards and their growing ambitions out wide.
Next week, Freemen’s travel to Barnes to face London Exiles who currently sit two points behind them in the league.
Old Freemen’s 1st XV: Walstow, Acton, Charalambous, Fair, Tyrrell, Shipp, Barnett, Butterfield, Smith, Hobbs, Hodges, Norval, Billane, Ormrod, Mckee. Subs: Moodie, Crane, Bambrick
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17th Nov 07 - Old Freemen's 13 East Dorset 16 (EDF Energy National Junior Vase 4th Rnd)
by Tom Innes
After being comprehensively out-sung by their opponents during the post-match festivities, Freemen’s could reflect that the contest on the pitch had at least been a close one.
The defeat in the fourth round of EDF Energy National Junior Vase ended the distant – but not impossible, just ask Dorking – dream of a Twickenham final next April, and left Old Frees to concentrate on league matters.
If league form had carried into the cup then a repeat of the solid performance against Whitgiftians the week before would have been too much for East Dorset. But the visitors, renamed (from Old Portcastrians) and revitalised since receiving a hiding from Freemen’s on Easter Tour six years ago, were determined and focussed, and eventually took their place in round five by a single kick.
The contest lacked shape in the early stages and the first notable incident broke the deadlock after 12 minutes, when the visiting fly half sold a silky dummy and cantered to the line, the conversion making it 0-7.
East Dorset looked the most likely to score next, enjoying the lions’ share of possession for most of the rest of the first half. But with two claims for tries being ruled as ‘held up’ by the referee, all they had to show for it was the full back’s well-struck penalty (0-10).
Freemen’s had played error-ridden rugby up to this point, with the pack failing to exert much control, but on 36 minutes they fashioned a superb try. Skipper Jon Hobbs’ flat pass to Ollie Bambrick saw the centre tear through the visitors’ midfield, crossing half-way and eventually the 22 metre line before being hauled down. But he was able to find scrum half Jon Ormrod, also travelling at express speed, and the try was scored under the posts, and converted, to make it 7-10 at the break.
Two changes to the pack, and perhaps the first signs of tiredness from the visitors, saw Freemen’s gain greater control early in the second half, and full back Tom McKee levelled the scores with an excellent 35-metre drop goal after fielding a loose kick.
Although two sorties into the Freemen’s half earned penalty chances for the visitors, both kicks were missed and the home team looked most likely to score. Replacement prop Nicos Charalambous came close after a powerful run, and when the referee ruled offside McKee gave Freemen’s the lead for the first time (13-10).
Closing out the game was Freemen’s aim for the last quarter, and the entry of Chas March into the fray was warmly received from the touchline. But the hosts were beginning to give away penalties with increasing frequency, meaning valuable territory was conceded. This enabled East Dorset to notch a drop goal to level the scores, and a penalty with about five minutes remaining to regain the lead.
Freemen’s attempted to get back into the game in the dying moments, and McKee had a drop goal attempt that went narrowly wide and could have forced the game into extra time. But East Dorset held on and celebrated with gusto during a beery post-match session.
Old Freemen’s: Walstow, Acton, Telford (Charalambous), Tyrrell, Beech, Shipp (Fair), Barnett (March), Butterfield, Ormrod, Hobbs, Hodges, Billane, Bambrick, Smith, McKee. Sub (not used) Mitchell
Freemen’s 2nd XV were on the receiving end of a rare defeat, going down 42-0 against Old Pelhamians. Meanwhile the club’s 3rd XV took to the field for the first time after the easing of early season unavailabilities caused by injury and the Rugby World Cup. A number of ‘blasts from the past’ showed more than a hint of their former skills, but were eventually beaten by a Reigate XV 20-0.
While the 3rds hope for another outing soon, Freemen’s 1sts XV returns to league action this week, at home to Croydon (kick-off 2.30pm), the 2nds travel to Old Blues.
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10th Nov 07 - Old Whitgiftians 15 Old Freemen's 19 (League)
by Tom Innes
After being squeezed out by single-figure margins in four of their five Surrey One league games to date, Old Freemen’s needed to turn the tide or risk dropping to the bottom of the division.
The entire squad rose to the challenge, perhaps inspired by the chance of getting one over their Croydon-based hosts, who pipped Old Frees for the Surrey Two title last season, which ended with both sides being promoted. Picking out heroes in such situations may be invidious, but nevertheless one extraordinary tackle by Rob Tyrrell and the nerveless place kicking of Tom McKee were the key factors in a narrow, tense but ultimately deserved victory.
McKee, in his first season of senior rugby and taking the place-kicking role for only the second time, had an early sighter three minutes after kick-off when he slotted a penalty goal awarded for off-side.
On 16 minutes Freemen’s played one of those complicated double scissor moves that can seem easy on the training ground, but so often leave egg on faces on match day. This one worked a treat, with skipper Jon Hobbs calling and orchestrating the move from fly-half. Winger Marcus Hodges scorched through into the Whits’ half, beat several defenders for pace, but appeared likely to be held up as he crossed the 22. As he searched for options, defenders hesitated and Hodges surged again to the line. McKee’s conversion made it 0-10.
The captain’s sense of adventure was less productive on 22 minutes when Hobbs attempted a chip out of defence, only for his kick to find the home side’s burly winger Todd, who strolled over to open his team’s account, the conversion making it 7-10.
The move of the day was inspired by Freemen’s prop Alex Moodie, who made a bold interception deep in his own half and tore through the midfield. He was well-supported by Hobbs and Jon Ormrod but sadly for Freemen’s the move was stifled close to the try line.
When Whits launched an expansive move of their own soon afterwards it bore more fruit, Freemen’s defence being breached and the hosts’ right wing crossing the line. A missed conversion and a late penalty for Freemen’s by McKee after a maul was collapsed made it 12-13 at the break.
The referee’s grip on the game loosened in the second period, not helped by persistent back-chat from players of both teams which eventually saw the Whits number 8 sin-binned after 65 minutes.
Although Colletta struck a penalty to regain the lead for Whits, McKee struck back for Freemen’s (15-16), and after 74 minutes he stretched the lead to four points when a Whits players entered a maul from the side, attempting to slow down Freemen’s after a useful back row move.
The four point lead was crucial, forcing the home team to push for a try in added time. It might have come as they pressed forward, a half-gap opening only for the player dashing through it to be hauled in by Tyrrell, who used both his pace and reach to execute a magnificent tackle.
The atmosphere became even more frantic after the referee called ‘last play’, another Whits surge being halted by blatant spoiling by Freemen’s hooker Tom Acton, earning him a yellow card and another penalty for the home team. With a man down Freemen’s defence had to answer even more questions, but eventually Whits lost the ball some 15 metres from the try line, Freemen’s back row pair Chas March and Tim Barnett snaffled it, and the whistle blew.
Surrey One remains incredibly tight after Saturday’s results: Cranleigh lie bottom of the 10-team table with three points, Freemen’s and London Exiles have four each and another four teams have five points each.
Old Freemen’s: Walstow, Acton, Moodie, Fair (Beech), Tyrrell, Shipp (March), Barnett, Daniels, Ormrod, Hobbs (c), Hodges, Norval, Billane, Bambrick, McKee. Sub (unused): Smith
Old Freemens 2nd XV continued their excellent merit table form with another important win against Merton at Ashtead Park. While the final score was 44-3 it does not indicate the difficult first half that Old Frees encountered.
The score was 10-3 at the break, with Freemen’s points split between the boot of Jem Davies and a Rhys Warren-Evans try. But an early sin-binning in the second half gave Freemen’s a crucial advantage, exploited by further tries from Nicos Charalambos, Richard Butterfield, Mike Barrett, Rob Reynolds and Tom Haywood, plus nine more points from Davies.
This weekend Freemen’s host former Easter Tour opponents East Dorset (formerly Old Portcastrians) in the fourth round of the EDF Energy National Junior Vase, kick-off 2pm, while the 2nd XV travel to Old Pelhamians and the 3rds prepare to host Mitcham.
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3rd Nov 07 - Old Freemen's 11 Old Alleynians 20 (League)
by Roger Seymour
Newly-promoted Old Freemen’s knew that life in Surrey 1 would be tough, especially with the retirement of key players and allowing for injuries, and so it is proving. On Saturday, they faced-up to a competent Old Alleynian side at Ashtead Park but went down to a fourth defeat in five League outings, and a win which took the visitors to second place behind unbeaten Kingston.
However, Freemen’s are digging deep with great character and each week it is evident that the new mix of classy young players and seasoned campaigners is starting to blend. They have not been intimidated by strong opposition, the margins of defeat have been narrow and there is a strong feeling that soon they will come good.
The game against Alleynian was well-refereed and tight with both sides taking advantage of the slope to exercise territorial domination. In the first half, the visitors had the downslope and built a lead of 15 – 6 after thirty minutes. Two tries were scored but several more were missed due to poor handling at the final kill.
Freemen’s held firm and kept in touch through two penalties by Tom McKee, before Reyno Norval set up Ollie Bambrick for a try before half time. McKee’s conversion rebounded off the post, leaving Freemen’s trailing by only 11 – 15 at the turn.
The second half saw Freemen’s driving hard to take the lead, but Alleynian were sound in defence, easing the pressure with a breakaway third try which went the length of the pitch.
Ben Telford led his front row of Lee Walstow and Mark Mitchell with some terrifying tackles and Simon Daniels debuting at number 8 showed that he will become another name on the long list of illustrious Freemen’s back-rowers. Tim Barnett was a major nuisance to Alleynian in the loose and Rob Tyrrell and Tom Fair secured their share of the line outs.
With a nine-point cushion, Alleynian protected their lead well in the final quarter, well-struck touch kicks keeping the home side at a distance and frustrated.
Freemen’s: Loughnan (Hodges), Ormrod, Bambrick, Norval (Hobbs), McKee, Billane, Smith, Walstow, Telford, Mitchell (Moodie), Tyrrell, Fair, Shipp, Barnett, Daniels.
Freemen’s seconds under skipper Jon Reece continued their good season with a 26 –5 win at Old Cranleighans. Still undefeated in the Merit Table, they scored four tries in an entertaining display at Thames Ditton by Mike Barrett, Andy Owens, Steve Acton and Andy Catling, and Jem Davies was successful with three conversions.
Tough fixtures continue this week as Freemen’s travel to third-placed Old Whitgiftians, k.o. 2.30.
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27th Oct 07 - Battersea Ironsides 15 Old Freemen's 14 (League)
by Roger Seymour
It was so near yet just too far for Old Freemen’s as they lost by a single point on Saturday in a typically bruising encounter at Battersea. There was a lot of effort but not too much flair on show from either side, until the tries were scored.
Tom McKee, in his first season in senior rugby, was impressive as he kept Freemen’s in touch with three finely struck penalties, but they were unable to get the degree of control needed against such a physical side. His forwards pressed hard as the finale approached, but were unable to work a position to give him a chance of another match-winning kick at goal.
The first half passed with both defences closing down waves of attack through the over-worked narrow channel. The outside backs on both sides saw little ball and were forced to go looking for work. Battersea’s key player at fly-half had to wait until just before half time before finding a rare gap as Freemen’s robust defence surprisingly dissolved, and he glided through four tackles for a try under the posts, making it a 6 – 10 lead at the turn.
The second half had a lively start. McKee kicked a penalty and Battersea bounced straight back literally as a clever chip from the fly-half sat up perfectly for his wing to run in at the corner.
Freemen’s responded immediately with a try made by skipper Richard Butterfield for scrum-half Dom Smith. Battersea, defending on their 22, disrupted a Freemen’s tight scrum, but from number 8 Butterfield picked-up and powered down the left touch-line. He was about to be sent flying into touch by the defenders but managed a perfectly-timed inside pass to the attentive Smith who scored to make it 14-15.
In the final half –hour Freemen’s endured some sustained attacks from Battersea’s forwards, but were unable to create any further chances to score themselves.
Freemen’s: Loughnan, Ormrod, Bambrick, Norval, McKee, Billane, Smith, Walstow, Telford, Mitchell, Tyrrell, Fair, Shipp, Butterfield (capt) (Crane), Moodie (Acton).
Freemen’s seconds met Raynes Park for the second week running and stepped up a gear to win again, by 62 -17. Two tries apiece were scored by Rhys Warren-Evans, Richard Turk, Marcus Hodges and Simon Daniels. Tries also came from Nicos Charalambous and the match was notable for a debut score in his first season from the promising Lawrie Gummer. Hodges succeeded with six conversions.
This week, Freemen’s entertain Old Alleynian in Surrey 1 at Ashtead Park, k.o. 2.45.
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20th Oct 07 - Old Freemen's 28 Old Caterhamians 24 (League)
By Roger Seymour
Old Freemen’s secured their first league win on Saturday, despite nearly yielding a 16 point lead to a late rally by visitors Old Caterhamians, which had the home support holding their breath for the final whistle.
Ashtead Park was an Autumnal picture and in the first quarter Freemen’s defence was almost still-life as Cats backs carved through some fragile defence from half way for two identical tries. In attack though, Freemen’s were wide awake, the forwards providing a steady supply of quality ball for their impressive half backs, Dom Smith and captain Jon Hobbs. From the pressure, there came hope. Hobbs slotted a penalty and Dugald Loughnan spilled the ball with the tryline in sight.
Hobbs then cleverly chipped through to the 22, Tim Barnett was first there to rip the ball away to feed Smith who set his line going. Good hands by Reyno Norval created space for Ollie Bambrick to beat his man and score a fine try.
Cats bounced back and were pressing hard just before half time, spreading the ball wide on Freemen’s 5 metre line, when John Ormrod gambled and won, intercepting the scoring pass – there was no stopping the ‘Ashtead Express’ on his way up the length of the field, and he touched down under the posts!! Hobbs converted making it 15-12 to Freemen’s at half time.
Freemen’s forwards dominated the second half with several rumbles that Cats found hard to repel. Rob Tyrrell sealed a magnificent game with a try, converted by Hobbs, from one of the drives, and he found good support from fellow second row, Tom Fair. Alex Shipp and Richard Butterfield showed exquisite touches and in the front row, Lee Walstow and Ben Telford united well, as did Jon Bird coming off the plane from New Zealand to appear as replacement hooker when Telford bravely moved over to the loose head slot.
The lead stretched to 28 – 12 with two further penalties by Hobbs, meaning they had scored 25 unanswered points and only 10 minutes remained. Perhaps this caused them to relax, but it provoked a huge onslaught by Cats in the final period, yielding two tries, the second deep into injury time. There was great relief in the home camp when the final whistle blew.
Freemen’s: Loughnan, Ormrod, Bambrick, Norval (Catling), McKee, Hobbs (capt), Smith, Walstow, Telford, Charalambous (Bird), Tyrrell, Fair, Shipp, Butterfield, Barnett (Adams).
Freemen’s seconds beat Raynes Park 30 –22, with tries by Rhys Warren-Evans, Michael Barrett and Oli Gotto, all converted by the promising Jem Davies, who also landed three penalties!
On Saturday, Freemen’s go to Battersea Ironsides, also searching for their second league win.
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13th Oct 07 - Farnborough 0 Old Freemen's 28 (EDF National Vase - 3rd Round)
By Spike Hobbs
A performance to be proud of. The pride of the nation flowing through the heart and soul of every player. Triumphant against the odds. Through to the next round…..and England won too.
Old Freemens found the form they had been searching for against a committed but disjointed Hampshire 1 side in the EDF Junior Vase.
Before the kick-off there was something about the atmosphere in the changing room that suggested OF’s would come out all guns blazing and not allow themselves to be intimidated. This was indeed the case with the opening exchanges going the way of the away team, an early penalty the reward for some great work in the contact and scrum by the pack.
The pack continued to dominate and were further rewarded when a lineout on the opposition 22 became a rumbling maul which resulted in a try. It is so crucial to gain the upper-hand in the early exchanges and having got these early points, Freemens were able to play the game they wanted to – kicking into the corners, driving through the pack and attacking in numbers around the fringes.
The work done by the forwards was complemented by some strong defence in the backs, Reyno Norval standing out for well-deserved praise (and the man-of-the-match award). One tackle in the first half saw Norval (ably assisted by Hobbs) drive the Farnborough fly-half 15 metres back and steal the ball to turn defence into attack for the visitors.
In the first half an opportunistic try was scored by Dom Smith after a kick through was not fielded by the hapless Farnborough back-three and Smith pounced to touch down. The new influx of young CLFS graduates is helping the back-line rekindle it’s dynamism, Tom McKee proving the point with a great solo try from a midfield scrum where he handed off his opposite man then beat the covering defence to touch down in the corner.
Leading 18-0 at the break, Freemens were not going to allow Farnborough back into the match and despite concerted pressure from the home side in the first 10 minutes, Freemens repelled them. A cheeky breakaway try from within his own half got Ormrod’s name on the scoresheet and McKee closed the game out late on with a well-struck drop-goal to add to his try.
This form will be carried on into next Saturday’s league match with a couple of returning injured players bolstering the bench.
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29th Sept 07 - Old Freemen's 10 Old Amplefordians 17 (League)
by Tom Innes
With two teams at home, school games on adjoining pitches, a large crowd on the touch line and World Cup excitement to follow, there was something of a festival atmosphere at Ashtead Park on Saturday. Sadly this did not permeate the Surrey Division One game between Old Freemen’s and Old Amplefordians, which was for the most part a turgid and error-strewn affair.
The home club had organised a reunion lunch for the all-conquering Freemen’s 1st XV from 1967-68, but sadly the “In My Day” brigade had little to cheer about from their contemporary counterparts.
The game lacked shape to begin with, with neither team able to impose themselves for any sustained period of attack. Credit should in part go to the defence of both teams, including the reassuring presence of Chas March, Tim Barnett and skipper Richard Butterfield in the Freemen’s back row. There was also a second row slot for Simon Crane, back in the 1st XV less than a month after resuming his career following a long absence.
The deadlock was broken after 20 minutes when Freemen’s ran the ball wide, winger John Ormrod chipped ahead and with the visitors failing to field it, Reyno Norval was first to the loose ball and ploughed over the line, and after a missed conversion it was 5-0.
A kick through was also the means to the retaliatory score by Amplefordians after 29 minutes, Freemen’s being forced to concede a five-metre scrum. This led to a second scrum and the visitors were through under the posts, gaining a 7-5 lead that they held until the break, missing a late chance to extend it when a penalty chance was kicked wide.
Although it was a dry day, handling errors continued to proliferate after half-time, and there were few clear-cut chances other than another penalty chance for Amplefordians, kicked wide after 63 minutes, but the kicker eventually found his range, slotting a straightforward chance after 70 minutes to extend the lead to 10-5.
The highlight of the day was a searing 70-metre diagonal break by John Ormrod which culminated with the right wing touching down for the equalising try, which fly half Duncan Billane was unable to convert. Freemen’s might have been happy with a draw, but as the match moved into injury time, Amplefordians attacked themselves, spread the ball right and scored in the corner. The conversion made it 17-10 and there was to be no repeat of Ormrod’s try to give the home crowd anything to cheer about.
Old Freemen’s: Norval, Ormrod, Bambrick, McKee, Hodges; Billane, Smith (Owens); Walstow (Moodie), Acton, Mitchell, Crane, Tyrell, Butterfield, Barnett (Shipp), March.
Old Freemen’s 2nd XV won their merit table encounter against Old Rutlishians in convincing fashion. Tries from Jon Reece, Richard Adams, Marcus Boulton, Mike Barrett, Simon Daniels and Richard Hill (2) set the tone for a 43-7 win, with Jem Davies adding four conversions.
There is a break from competitive action for Freemen’s this weekend, with both 1st and 2nd teams having provisionally arranged friendlies at Ashtead Park this Saturday.
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22nd Sept 07 - Old Freemen's 50 Worth Old Boys 17 (Friendly)
by Roger Seymour
Fielding a side with some new youth combining with the gnarled experience of the senior players, Freemen’s were comfortable winners of an 11 try feast against Worth OB in superb conditions on Saturday in Ashtead Park. Worth played a full part in an entertaining game as the power of Freemen’s from two Leagues higher eventually took its toll.
Flanker Alex Moodie set the scoreboard rolling with a well-taken try in the second minute rounding off the early pressure as Freemen’s leapt out of the traps. Marcus Hodges converted.
Worth bounced straight back with a speedy chip and chase that caught the home defence asleep. This gave them confidence to mount further attacks but Freemen’s defence led by skipper Richard Butterfield held and then reacted with a series of tries before half time from Hodges, Chas March and Rob Tyrrell, the last following an impressive 30 metre forward drive. Conversions from Hodges and Duncan Billanemade it 26 – 5 at the turn.
The second half started much as the first, with tries from each side within 5 minutes of the restart. Jon Ormrod showed electric pace for his first, confirmed with another length of field run to score just before the close. Moodie snaffled a second try and Butterfield also ran one in to round off a strong personal game. Further conversions came from Billane and Hamish Dickie.
Freemen’s relaxed as the score mounted and Worth scored a superb try but Freemen’s then made it to the half century with Ormrod’s long range effort. The match was refereed with ruthless efficiency by Club Captain Alex Tribick who ensured that whistle didn’t get in the way of a guiding word!
On the adjacent pitch, Freemen’s 2nd XV nearly matched the firsts with a 45-17 win over Chobham. Despite a nasty leg injury requiring hospital treatment for Jeff Haywood, Freemen’s enjoyed some free running with tries by Rhys Warren-Evans (2), Jon Wilson (2), Simon Crane, Tim Barnett, and Marcus Bolton. Conversions came from Jeff Haywood (4) and Jem Davies.
On Saturday, Freemen’s veteran Eddie Law has organised a reunion lunch of the teams from 1967, one of their most successful seasons – from a time before the advent of merit tables, leagues and physios. Who will bring the bucket and sponge? Lunch will be followed by watching Freemen’s second Surrey 1 fixture at home to Old Amplefordians. (k.o 4 p.m.)
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15th Sept 07 - Old Freemen’s 14 Kingston 20 (League).
by James Hutchison
After a poor start to the game, Old Freemen’s had too much to do to come back against Kingston at Ashtead Park on Saturday. The Home team spent the afternoon chasing the game having allowed the visitors to build a lead, and with 5 minutes to go was unable to capitalise on the sustained pressure to score the converted try required.
A brilliant score from Marcus Hodges midway through the first half put Freemen’s back in touch after conceding early points. Scrum-half Jon Ormrod made a sniping run down the blindside from a ruck just inside the opposition’s half. He then threw a long pass to Hodges on the wing who finished superbly, beating two defenders to score.
At half time, Freemen’s were in the ascendancy, and the home crowd began to find its voice in support. Despite dominating possession and territory, the newly promoted team could not break down the opposition defence. Captain and fly-half, Jon Hobbs, kept his side in touch by kicking three penalties – the third of which reduced the deficit to 6 points with just less than ten minutes on the clock.
The Freemen’s pack maintained possession and the crowd was on tenterhooks as they sought the final try. When James Reece was fed by Dugald Loughnan, it looked like the moment had arrived, but alas he was pulled down short of the line and the opportunity was missed.
Credit to Kingston for their sterling defence, and whilst it wasn’t the victory that Old Freemen’s were hoping for to start their new campaign, they should take heart from their performance and go into the next match in a fortnight’s time with a lot of confidence.
Show your support for Old Freemen’s by cheering them on at their next league match against Old Amplefordians on September 29th at Ashtead Park. Go to www.oldfreemens.co.uk for a full fixture list and to keep up to date with club news.
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