Pinner grind out win to close gap on leaders

GWR 0 Pinner & Grammarians 12

Pinner cranked up the pressure on Herts/Middlesex Four leaders Hatfield with a controlled victory over GWR at Ealing on Saturday.

James Byrne's first half try seperated the sides before Warren Woad's score, converted by fly-half Mark Razzell, ensured victory.

Pinner are just two points behind Hatfield, who they face in the final match of the season on April 4.

Having won the toss, GWR chose to have the wind behind their backs and that saw Pinner penned into their own territory for much of the first half.

However, heroic defence by the pack, with 20-year-old prop Simon Whitcombe outstanding, repelled several GWR attacks.

Five minutes before the break, number eight Bernie Richter broke from deep in his own half. The ball was fed to Pinner skipper Reza Sibilant who took it up to the GWR 22 line.

Several phases later Pinner won a five metre scrum, where Richter peeled off the back before off-loading for Byrne to cross the line in the corner.

Pinner then used the windy conditions to their advantage after the break and were soon ten points to the good when Woad crossed after fine drives from Sibilant and Russell Joynt. Razzell added the extras from an acute angle.

Pinner's pack continued to dominate, putting constant pressure on the GWR defence. Lock Mike Turner and man of the match prop Simon Whitcombe, butchered everything the GWR forwards could muster as Pinner comfortably saw the game out.

Pinner's next league game is against British Airways at Shaftsbury Playing Fields on February 21. They then travel to Northolt on March 7 before hosting Sudbury in their penultimate game of the season on March 24.

Pinner have currently won eight of their ten games while the leaders Hatfield have won all their nine.

* Members of Pinner's mini section braved the bitterly cold weather to train on Sunday. The U7s worked on ball handling and passing skills while the U8s got stuck into the tackle bags. A practice game then took place where the youngsters put their skills into practice.

Players of the week awards went to Ciara Evans (U7), Morgan Fielder (U8), Felix Allen (U9), Carl Laughna (U10), Oscar Perillo (U11/12).