The semi-final of the PSUK Cup saw MPRFC make the longest possible trip, to Glasgow to take on Police Scotland (West) on their 4G pitch in the centre of the National Trust's Pollok Park.
A fresh, breezy afternoon greeted London's Finest as they lined up to receive the Scottish kick-off. There was early adventure from The Met, running the ball back at a big, and clearly well-drilled , Scottish XV. The first scrum of the match demonstrated the difference in preparation the two sides had for this contest. The Met's pack was in all sorts of bother holding the scrum and the inevitable penalty set the tone for the next 20 minutes. The kick missed but a further blow soon followed: the Met possession was turned-over as they entered the hosts' half and Scotland quickly worked the ball from right to left. As Scotland crossed Met's 10 metre line the touch judge flagged for a Scottish forward pass; referee Rob McHendrie ignored his assistant and the ball came back inside for the Scots' right wing to score the first of his three tries, under the posts. To add injury to insult, open-side flanker Chris Kiernan was injured attempting to make a last ditch tackle and was unable to take any further part.
The Met looked stunned: Scotland seemed to be managing the game with just a little more pace and imagination. Met forced their way back up field from the restart and won a penalty at the ruck. The kick hit the bar and although the ball bounced around tantalisingly in front of the posts, Scotland were able to clear their lines. Strong Scottish running and some weak tackling moved play deep into Met's half. Several phases of driving mauls eventually tied in enough of the Met defenders to leave Scotland an unopposed run in down the blindside for a converted try. From the re-start, Scotland now attacked the visitors' left flank. Possession changed hands but the Met runners were easily snaffled-up by the defence. With possession over-turned, Scotland broke down the narrow side and kicked through the Met's line. Although the kick looked to be too hard, the ball sat up perfectly for the wing's dive and second try. The conversion made the score 19-0 with just 17 minutes on the clock.
With full credit to the Met XV, they did not let their heads drop. Scotland continued in the ascendency and Met made a second replacement as hooker Richard Blears had to leave the field with a broken hand, Marcus Sweeney entering the fray and immediately having to hit his lineout jumpers , just outside the Met's 22m. Successfully achieving it, the Met slowly forced their way deep into the Scottish half, with powerful running from Cormac Healy, Joe Billyard and Chris Holloway breaking and turning the Home defence. The Met now began to move the ball and make the big Scottish defenders work to get round the field. Gaps and overlaps were beginning to appear and The Met were now camped on the Scottish line. A penalty for entering a ruck from the side, 7 metres out, saw a quick tap from scrum-half Hall running straight into Scotland's skipper, No6 Jamie Howorth. The referee had no hesitation in sending Howarth to the bin for failing to retire the full 10. It looked like a try was inevitable as the Met forwards pounded away at the Scottish line but three times the referee adjudged that the defenders had managed to hold up the ball as attackers dived over. The referee seemed oblivious to Scottish feet in the ruck which slowed down Met ball and when The Met tried to move the ball away from the breakdown, inexact passing enabled the well-organised defence to push the attack backwards. Eventually though, the Met got it right, and quick hands off the back of a ruck saw Chris Holloway touching down for the Met's opening score. The half ended with an exhausted looking Scottish XV restored to full strength and leading 19-5.
The second half started with the Met looking by far the sharper of the two sides but the lack of variation in the play behind the scrum still allowed Scotland to thwart and over-turn the Met attacks. It was against the run of play when the Scots’ scrum-half through a lovely dummy, opening up the defence and ran in unopposed under the Met posts. Steve Duggan, who had earlier replaced Kiernan, now found himself heading to the medical room to be replaced by Ben Markham.
From the restart, Kob Yeboah put the catcher under pressure. Possession changed hands a couple of times and a knock-on gave Met a scrum on the Scottish 22. With the packs now evenly matched, a steady scrum saw a neat pick-up and one-handed offload from No.8 Craig Wooldridge, enabling Hall to feed Jamie O’Sullivan whose step of his left foot saw him score Met’s second, converted by James Connolly.
If The Met could have erased the first quarter of the match, we now had a very even and exciting cup game. The London forwards seemed to have gained the upper hand although the Met backs were searching for a “Plan B” to break through the Scottish defence. Nevertheless, Scotland managed to reassert themselves with a catch and drive by Scotland's outstanding No.4, Dalgleish from inside Met’s 22, the converted try increasing the lead to 33-12. The final 20 minutes was all about the Met but too many turnovers allowed the Scots to keep their line intact. Even when Scotland got the ball upfield, The Met now had the confidence (and a desperate need) to run the ball from everywhere. Elliott Moore replaced Holloway, with O’Sullivan going to right wing. The heavy Scottish team were tiring so it was very frustrating when the Met’s own forwards got in the way of their half backs and forced the play back into the pack rather than keeping it stretching the tired legs.
Possibly the highlight of the match saw Yeboah collect the ball in his own half and weave his way through half the Scottish team before being hauled down 15 metres out. Sadly the pass didn’t find his support and nothing came of it. There was now too much for the Met to do to save the game and although O’Reilly, Jay, Kyle Richards and Routledge came on to add fresh legs, it was the Scots who finished off the game with a converted try to run out worthy winners 40-12.
As is so often said, the Met Police has all the ingredients of a good side. It is just the lack of prior practise and preparation that stops them achieving it.