"Two tries in four minutes": Early blitz 'set the tone' for Worthing defeat

Two very early tries set the tone for Maidenhead’s heavy 50-12 defeat away to Worthing on Saturday and just took the wind from the visitors sails before they’d really got out of the blocks.

The visitors found themselves 7-0 down within a couple of minutes and 14 points adrift before they could really get a foothold in the game.

At 24-0 down at the interval, the game was already lost, but they did show some fighting spirit to run in two tries in the second half and restore some pride.

The result leaves them in the bottom two, now three points behind Camberley, heading into the most ‘must win of must win games’ at home to Farnham on Saturday.

Reflecting on Saturday’s outcome, head coach David Mobbs-Smith said: “They scored two very early tries.

“They were 14-0 up within four minutes. That just set the tone for the game.

“We made a couple of errors that were just fatal really and it got them on the front foot.

“From that moment on they were playing very confident rugby, and we were never in the game scoreboard wise, they were gone.

“By the time we started to play a lot better, the damage was done.”

He added: “They played very well with us only able to apply a bit of pressure in the second half.

“We didn’t do enough to get four tries; we just couldn’t get there. They scored from their first line up and it was a lovely slick move. You could see from there they felt this was a game they were going to play well in and they did.

“They were just too good for us on the day.”

Maidenhead play three of their remaining four matches at home – where traditionally they’ve been stronger – starting with seventh placed Farnham at Braywick Park on Saturday.

On paper, at least, this looks to be the most winnable of their remaining matches, with promotion hopefuls Tunbridge Wells, Old Alleynians and CS Stags to follow in the remaining weeks of the campaign.

On how things could pan out in the relegation scrap, Mobbs-Smith added: “Two of us (Camberley, Maidenhead and Hammersmith & Fulham) are going down and it may be on the last weekend, but it won’t be this weekend.

“But we could rule ourselves out a little bit if we get nothing against Farnham and they get something. We’re suddenly under pressure playing three of the best sides in the league (Tunbridge Wells, Old Alleynians and CS Stags) trying to get a win.

“This is our weekend now; we must do something this weekend to put ourselves in a good position and put pressure back on them.

“If you’re a betting man, you’d say that (this is Maids’ most winnable remaining game), but they (Farnham) have had such an amazing season. They have a huge pack and very decent backs, so we have a very tough game this weekend.”