Last Updated: Tuesday, 11 September 2007

Stubborn Hammers fall to Baa Baas

By Grant Zany-Fiddle in London, Sunday Telegraph

Last Updated: 1:13am BST 09/09/2007

Hammersmith & Fulham 12 Black Baa Baas 44

Hammersmith and Fulham 4^th XV still have some work to do prior to their first league game at the end of the month after being defeated by fellow Merit Table contenders The Black Baa Baas during a friendly at Hurlingham yesterday.

The skeleton Hammers side had to endure a physical game against a well drilled Baa Baas outfit who eventually ran out 44 – 12 winners.

Man of the match Whitehead scored twice after the break to keep the Hammers in contention but the fluid and strong direct running by the Baa Baas backline in the last quarter saw them as comfortable victors

The home side were struck a blow on the 10^th minute when captain and scrum half John Kirkham left the field with a suspected concussion after he found himself at the bottom of a collapsed ruck. With just one replacement on the bench some reshuffling took place with Felix Whitehead moving to scrum half and Danny Fitzgerald moving from centre to out half.

The Baa Baas took full advantage of a largely out of position Hammers backline as they entered the break 17 – 0 up.  Some strong running and efficient offloading by their back row opened their account with a score under the posts on the 22^nd minute. The Baa Baas extended their lead with two further scores just before half time after quick wide ball through their backs allowed their wing to touch down twice in the corner.

The Hammers started the second half with determination and purpose. Early pressure by the Hammers from the restart found the Baa Baas defending their 22 with a scrum, a poor pass to the opposition out half was exploited by Whitehead as he was quick to gather the subsequent loose ball and run unopposed to the try line.

The home side continued the momentum. With Hamilton and Murray again leading from the front, the Hammers pack through aggressive rucking and mauling produced a series of drives which paid dividends as the Hammers found themseveles with an attacking platform just outside the visitors 22. The ball was shipped wide to Fitzgerald who chipped to the corner, the subsequent chase by right wing Neuli allowed the Hammers to re gather possession. After a series of sniping drives on the Baa Baas try line that sucked in several defenders Whitehead picked up from the base of the ruck to dive over in the corner for his second try to bring the scores to 17 - 12

That was as close as the Hammers got to the Baa Baas. The game failed to reach any great heights for the remainder of the second half. Despite the Hammers refusing to yield to the Baa Baas physical game with some excellent upfront tackling from debutants Reynolds, Fair, King and Ridgley. The Hammers pushed very hard in the last 15 minutes to have the final say in an increasingly fractured game but this high risk play resulted in the Hammers gifting further soft tries to the Baa Baas.

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