Crawley travelled down to Rye looking for a win that would keep them in touch with the league leaders and be their first away win of the season. It was therefore a successful afternoon as they achieved both of these goals however the score flattered what was a messy and frustrating match for the travelling supporters to watch.
Crawley started the match, playing into a very strong headwind, with real purpose. They mixed power up front with quick hands in the backs to immediately put Rye under pressure, pinning the home team into their own half. This early pressure was soon rewarded when man of the match Kip Rees powered over in the corner for the first try. At this stage it looked like it was going to be a white wash as from the kick off Crawley carried on piling into the Rye defence.
Brendan Robinson, making his first start for the first team, was enjoying himself in the lineout, stealing several opposition throws with easy while scrum half Steve Wilson was fizzing the ball out from the break downs. At this point Crawley was making it look all too easy as Captain Micky Clay powered over from close range to score under the posts, followed quickly by winger Chris Ealy finishing off a great backs move to also score under the posts. Crawley were 19 – 0 up and cruising.
At this point for some inexplicable reason Crawley stopped playing rugby and dropped down to the standard of the opposition. Passes started to get dropped, tackles missed and penalties started to be given away. Half time came and passed and Rye used this opportunity to make a couple of changes. It does make you wonder why these two players did not start the match as they both made immediate impact, galvanising the home teams effort and it was now Rye who were controlling the game.
Now with the strong wind in their backs it seemed that everything Crawley tried would fail to come off and what was promising to be a convincing win turned into a scrappy and frustrating match with both teams making numerous errors. Rye were rewarded for their pressure midway through the half with a well taken wingers try and they looked like they could close the gap. Crawley though quickly managed to re-group and from a 15 yard scrum Steve Wilson broke blind to score a well deserved try. Sam Basson converted and at 26 – 5 the game petered out to a messy end.
Ultimately it had been a good away win and this does very much keep Crawley in touch with the league leaders however Crawley seem to save their best performances to the better teams in the league and when they play these lower teams they seem to drop in standard. Next week they play Pulborough at home and if Crawley don’t up their game this could be a potential banana skin of a match. Kick off 2.30pm all spectators welcome.
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