** Broken....but not down!

So near but not good enough, you b*st*rds!!

We arrived at Uxbridge in dribs and drabs....the kiwis were last apart from the usual Irish Numpty...who arrived 20 minutes into the first half!

The squaddies were in the changing room for at least an hour before the rest of us arrived...polishing their accoutrements...as they do when they're bored....!

We changed and went out to the pitch for the usual Q's warmup....we managed to find a forward pack who thought they knew what they were doing....the backs led by Sammy and Pete seemed jell well....

KO....immediately our running play paid dividends.....Robbo got the suave and debonair Aussie "Sheila" Russell in on the right wing for our first try....all appeared to be going our way...but then the first scrum arrived....Talentfree, Josh and Chris were immediately going backwards....but we persevered....

The running play continued...and Uxbridge were obviously a bit frightened...as they kicked a penalty...to keep in touch....the first 20 minutes, was mainly our backs and loose forwards running fantastically and passing equally well....with a number of near misses...then Joe Q split his eye lid open...the ref decided that he must go off....a real shame as he was playing a blinder....Shakes stepped upto the mark and came on at 8....

In the corner of my eye, I could see the Irishman changing into his kit on the sidelines....5 minutes later, Angry was ready to come onto the field....so Shakes was sent off!  Within a minute of Shakes going off, Uxbridge drove through the middle to score a converted try....I don't want to connect these events but, is it a coincidence that when Shakes goes off and Russell comes on, they score!

At this point, some panic set in....Sammy was his usual taciturn self...and p*ssed off the ref too many times and was binned...for the remainder of the half....

Half time..I think it was 10-5 to Uxbridge.....

After half-time, we appeared to be getting better in the scrums..until Josh and Chris were both lifted off their feet..and we were forced over our line...to concede another try....Talentfree remonstrated with the ref to no avail..he was determined that our front row stood up in the scrum...Talentfree asserted to the reft that he was a chartered engineer and that in his considered opinion it would be impossible to stand up in the scrum given one's feet were not on the ground, which breaks several laws of gravity and the conservation of energy law number 2..he also added that in his catholic opinion neither of his front row colleagues were, in any way, Jesus like and, therefore, could not walk on water or in thin air! This form of considered argument got us nowhere!!! Shutup..Talentfree!!!

So we were now down...15-5....and Josh decided enough was enough....so we went uncontested....we told the ref...he didn't insist on 14 men continuing....until he was told at the next scrum by Uxbridge...  So the worst player on the team had to go off.....there was obviously no other choice...Talentfree had to walk the walk of shame onto the sidelines...Russell stepped into the uncontested front row....

We then had a bit of a resurgence....2 tries in close succession...one from Pete and Russell, I think....note this was Aussie Russell not that Angry prat!

So 15-15....with less than 5 minutes to go.....or according to the ref....13-15....with 20 minutes to go....

Quintin scored first.....13-22.....

Things looked good at this point....Josh had gone off, to be replaced by French Alex in the front row....who immediately caught a fantastic ball in the lineout....Bish had some great runs on the right wing..Rob had several attacks up the middle from the left wing....Pete kicked away loads of ball...Robbo bludgeoned as much as he could....Sammy sniped as always, especially when he was on the pitch....Jono, BJ, Andrew Teague..Todd all put in great efforts....but we were losing form....

Uxbridge then drove through the heart of Qs to level the core at 20-22.....

Talentfree told the ref from the touchline that it was 22-22....stupid ponce!

The whistle blew...it was already dark....both teams should have won the game.....both had more than enough opportunities!

Final score: Uxbridge II  22  - Quintin II  22