Error filled Eels fail to make mense for cup exit

With the Eels looking to make the most of a fairly changed Hemel side the mood before the game was consistent throughout the team and the boy seemed focus on an improvement from the previous week. However when the whistle blew and eels dropped the ball from kick off confidence was knocked at Hemel took advantage straight away the score 0-6. The eels kicked off and kicked straight out letting the stags kick deep into the eels half it wasn’t long before eels gave a penalty away and the repeat set cost them a try out wide with a quick tap catching the eels out the score after five minutes was 0-10. With eels finally forcing an error from the kick off they had a few repeat sets on the Hemel line with eels scored with a low kick from chambers and the bounce caught out the Hemel winger for Patrick Rourke to dot down to get eels first score on the board.

Brentwood looking to get back into the game went wide to early and got shunted into touch, resulting in a turnover in possession and another try for the visitors. What followed was a montage of error fueled half hour dropped balls from kicks offs and restarts being kicked in to touch it was not going eels way and with Young Taine Burns and Dean Mcfarlane leaving the field with injuries it become a bit of tough pill to take and a to common feeling this season. Great Carries from the returning Damore Balogun and Jake Yellop got eels up the field before half time to what looked like a tiring stag’s team, that led to Cameron Furlong crashing over for a try. Brentwood had the last say but the glory of the first half was all the visitors with the score 10-38.

Hemel were looking tired before the end of the half so if eels were to half a chance it would be now. Eels started to really take the game to Hemel at times cutting them wide open to which half back chambers made the most of first and then Callum Whitcombe showing some wheels as he dashed to the line after a quickly taken penalty. Confidence was up and with a decent structure in place and errors slowly being cut out the eels setup for easily their best try of the season with and of the training ground move that led to the ever present Patrick Rourke dotting down un touched in the corner. With 15 Minutes to go and the scores 24-42 the eels were confident in closing the three try gap, But with Injuries to Cameron Furlong and Damore Balogun in play that task became harder. With the first half defense work and amount of injuries the eels were starting to fill the game with errors popping back in to the game, it only gave stags a second wind which led to them doubling the three try gap with some soft tries. Which left the final score 24-58 a little flattering but overall accurate for the standard of rugby being played versus the amount of errors made.

Coach Sherwood had this to say “Errors killed us today, and we lost the attitude you need when your making errors to get back into position and structure to get a grip back on the game. Hemel are good side and great for this league they showed us that last week but they were a different side today we let them build their game with our errors. If we had started the game how we started the second half which is what the intention was it would have been a slightly different game and maybe a different outcome.” With the eels adding another six to the injury list, Next week’s Home game against the undefeated league leaders Bedford looks a big ask.