After a promising start to the season the bye week seemed to have interfered with Portland's mo-jo as first one wheel, then another has come off their playoff campaign. With one week left to go, post-season play is still a mathematical possibility, but our destiny lies as much in the hands of others as our own.
Having been previously indefatigable at home, Portland took their first misstep by failing to capitalize on their territorial advantage against Hartford, and then yielding a succession of penalties towards the end that allowed the visitors to put the game out of reach. Both tackling and decision making were poor, while a lively Hartford pack made every ruck and maul a hard fought contest.
Despite some extended periods in the opposition half Portland failed to turn the screw, and on most occasions Hartford were able to respond with 40+ yard breakaways to relieve the pressure. Hartford had the better of the try count 2-1, and both sides racked up three penalty kicks each. Portland got theirs early, to keep them in contention despite the failure to convert pressure in to tries, but Hartford got theirs late, when they needed them most, to help put some daylight between themselves and the hosts. Final score, Portland 16 - Hartford 23. 1 point for the near miss.
A week later Portland took the long trip to Burlington only to suffer a similar fate, coughing up too much ball in contact, which the host side was able to put away to their advantage. Overnight rain made for slippery conditions on an otherwise perfect rugby facility, and handling errors were to be frequent throughout the match.
Burlington struck first, taking advantage of players still shaking off the fog of 4 1/2 hours on the road. For the first quarter Portland struggled to get out of their own half, but held their own in the set piece and managed to prevent any further points being scored.
After a converted Burlington penalty, Portland eventually found themselves in the opposition half, giving them the opportunity to swing the ball wide through their backs, and despite coming up short of the line, the forwards were able to finish the move with a series of quick rucks.
Portland soon scored again, but this time it was all forwards, as they dominated a 5-meter scrum; stopping just short of a full pushover, but getting close enough to crash over from a quick pickup at the back. Both tries were unconverted, but it gave Portland a slender 10-8 lead going in to the half.
Burlington soon wrested back the momentum, striking back early in the second half with a quick move to their backs. Within several minutes they were at it again, pouncing on a ball fly hacked through our advancing defense. Both kicks were missed, but Burlington now held a 18-10 lead.
Portland came back with a drop goal from Evan Harding and another try of their own, and for a while the game hung in the balance at 18-18. Burlington were to have the last word however, after stealing the ball at a lineout and working it quickly wide and breaking several tackles to send their winger over in the corner. The conversion was made, and the scoreline moved to 25-18. That's how it stayed for the last 10 minutes despite some near misses by both sides. Another solitary consilation point for the close loss.
On both these occaisions the B side were able to win their own contests and add a silver lining to the otherwise gloomy score sheet. The B's continue to put in strong performances, thanks in large part to the numbers of new players that have been turning out each week. Sprinkle that group with a handful of wiley veterans and you have the making of a good side, and a great breeding ground for Portland's future talent.
Portland's final game of the season will be away to Newport and will feature the second fixture of the year for Portland's "new" old boys side. A bus has been laid on for the event and $30 will get you a seat on it plus some refreshments. Any old boys looking to get a run in before the weekend can find us at Memorial Field on Tuesday (7-9) and Fitzy on Thursday (7:30-9). If you'd rather conserve your energy for the day of, we understand.
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