The Roosters ended their 2008 RLC campaign with arguably their best performance of the season. Speaking after the game, acting head coach Ray Marshall, suggested the seasons outcome might have been different if the side had played with such vigour throughout, “too little too late”.
The Roosters set out their stall as early as the 3rd tackle of the game when full back Gareth Drake broke the Greenwich defensive line to race a full 75 yards to open the scoring. The successful conversion from brother Michael Drake gave the Roosters an early six point lead.
This early score hit the visitors for six and the home side took advantage of the slope and a strong wind to stretch their advantage further throughout the first half. A fantastic kicking game from scrum half Michael Drake turned the visitors around time after time. This, coupled with some great Roosters defence forced the visitors into mistake after mistake and the constant possession afforded the Roosters the opportunity to increase the lead with tries from Andrew Dean, Eddie Embley, and Lee Kupyn. An excellent display of place kicking from Drake, alongside his kicking in open play gave the home side a 24-6 half time lead after some Roosters indiscipline around the play the ball allowed the Admirals stand off, Anthony Johnson to grab a late first half try.
The second half proved to be a much more of a game as the Admirals came out determined to improve upon their dismal first half effort. Despite a crunching, if unorthodox tackle from Andrew Dean, a tackle Big Daddy would have been proud of, the visitors still managed to come back at the home side with early tries from Guy Oldman and Craig Wooldridge. Michael Drake continued his great performance with a try saving tackle out wide before centre Charles Paxton produced another great break from the scrum, this time racing a full 50 yards to score. The visitors then hit back again with a soft try to bring them within 8 points of the lead with 15 minutes to go, but the Roosters held on with an impressive defensive display and another late try from veteran second rower Steve Burke closed the game out.
The Roosters would like to thank the town for the great support they have had throughout the whole season once again and they look forward to welcoming everyone back again next summer in the hope we can take up where we left off with this great performance against the league runners up.