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By David Challis
Tonbridge Juddians took heart from their second-half performance during a high-scoring 47-40 defeat at Caldy in National League 1 on Saturday.
With a strong travelling contingent making the trip up to the North West and many more watching on the live stream in the clubhouse, TJs were ready for a big away performance.
Playing into a stiff breeze in the first half after a five-hour trip up to the Wirral, it was always going to be a tough start for TJs. However, the first 15 minutes was nip and tuck with both sides crossing the whitewash. Caldy struck first, taking advantage of the bouncing ball on the TJs 22, allowing a flourishing backline to dive in under the posts. TJs hit back quickly, though with a bruising driving maul which saw Will Colderick crash over to bring the score to 7-5.
However, TJs lost control of the momentum of the game. Matt Walsh and Tom White were unable to gain any meaningful field position, and their forwards struggled to contain a rampant Caldy pack. This pressure on TJs also saw Gailbraith-Lowe yellow carded after taking his opposite number out in the air. This served to further pile the pressure on the away side and eventually led to TJs going into half-time 28-5 down.
Caldy racked up three tries in the opening minutes of the second 40 and, staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat, head coach Pete Dankert rung the changes, introducing second row Dave Irvine and scrum-half Charlie Edwards.
The impetus of new bodies coupled with a slight drop off from the home side seemed to do the trick for TJs. A couple of penalties allowed TJs into the Caldy 22 for the first time in the second half. Then under advantage, White found Conrad Burne on debut with a beautiful crossfield kick to pull one back for TJs.
The focus quickly turned to securing a four-try bonus point for the away side. Caldy dragged a maul down, but this allowed Matt Foulds space around the fringes for his first try in a TJs shirt.
Caldy had now fallen into the same trap TJs found themselves in either side of the half-time break. They gave away more penalties and territory from the kick-off, and TJs forced a 5m scrum. Caldy collapsed, but Truman Sullivan dived for the line off the base. The home side sensed a hint of a knock-on, but the referee saw nothing, and suddenly TJs had a bonus point with just over 10 minutes left.
The vicious cycle of penalties continued for Caldy off the kick-off, and TJs forced another five-metre scrum. This time Edwards forced his way over the line to bring TJs within two scores with just a few minutes on the clock. White raced to slot the conversion, and TJs were quickly back down on the Caldy 22 after TJs piled on the pressure off the kick-off.
Edwards again was the man to dot down off the back of a strong driving maul. White now had a kick on the 15m to secure a second bonus point. He kept his calm and nailed the conversion on the final whistle which saw TJs get to within seven points.
The fight that TJs showed in the final 25 minutes again underlined their ability in this league, ahead of the visit of Chinnor next week.
