DARTFORDIANS 10
OLD COLFEIANS 38
Tries: A. O’Malley (2), J. Griffiths, E. Colson, P. Try
Conversions: R. Napper (4)
Penalty kicks: R. Napper (1)
A beautiful, sunlit drive down the A2 set the scene as Old Colfeians faced local rivals Dartfordians,
with both teams having plenty to play for. OCs looked to push into the top half of the table, sitting
within touching distance of the play-offs, while Dartfordians hovered near the bottom, fighting for
every point to climb out of trouble – something Spurs fans might find all too familiar…
Dartfordians kicked off towards the river. An early catch and phase play set up a box kick that
didn’t quite find touch, putting Darts on the front foot. Big carries through the middle, combined
with wide shifts and clever tip passes, got their attack moving. However, a resilient OCs defence
held firm, and with a slice of luck – including a double roll – Darts were denied the opening score.
Was it going to be a long afternoon for OCs?
OCs soon answered with attacking intent of their own. A focus on selling lines to disrupt the
defence paid dividends, as dominant carries and strong support lines compressed the Darts
defence and created space. A galloping line from A. O’Malley, off one of Napper’s (rare!) decent
passes, cut through a gaping hole to secure OCs’ first converted try of the day.
Maintaining attacking pressure, OCs capitalised on Darts’ errors to stay deep in opposition
territory. A penalty on the Darts 22, near the 15-metre line, led to a kick for the corner. The lineout
and maul functioned effectively for the first time, inching towards the try line. With an “assist to the
assist” from C. Harris, OCs were awarded a penalty try – is Chris the new Jonny May?
Later in the half, with possession changing hands frequently, Dartfordians struck back. A
well-executed lineout move released their winger on the outside to score in the corner. Half-time:
14–7 to OCs.
The second half began slowly, dominated by scrums and lineout mauls. Dartfordians gained the
upper hand through their forward pack, leaving OCs searching for answers. Darts were first to
score after the break, finishing out wide, though they missed the conversion.
From the restart, OCs found their solution: keep hold of the ball. Reducing errors and maintaining
possession proved key. Strong carries through the middle, combined with slick out-the-back
passes, allowed J. Griffiths to arc around the defence and score OCs’ third converted try. Will
Estefan get back into the 1s? Who knows…
Another penalty gave Napperino the chance to kick to the corner again, setting up a four-man
lineout. Credit to forwards coach Vicky Fleetwood for her attention to detail – the well-drilled set
piece paid off as A. O’Malley powered off the lineout, slicing through the defence under the posts
(with a little help from Bill to open the gap).
Soon after, our debutant, John Gaffney, had his Grandpa Simpson quick exit moment, a high
tackle and failure to roll away quickly earned him his marching orders – A quick debut.
Finally, OCs sealed the game with a fifth try from another debutant, Elliot Colson. A Dartfordians
22-metre dropout was taken cleanly by A. O’Malley, who offloaded smartly to Shay Storey. Shay
sprinted down the wing before delivering a perfectly timed inside pass for Elliot to score – a brilliant
moment to cap his debut.
A strong all-round performance saw Old Colfeians combine resilient defence with clinical attacking
play to secure an impressive victory. After weathering early pressure and adapting well in the
second half, OCs demonstrated composure, structure, and creativity when it mattered most. With
contributions across the squad, including standout moments from debutants, this result keeps their
play-off ambitions firmly alive and builds momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.
Written by Bill Ramdhan.
