Episkopi Eagles v Paphos Tigers
Saturday 18 November 2006

When Episkopi Eagles kicked off at precisely 13.30 on Saturday 18th November, 2006 they were starting a fascinating fixture. Neither they nor their opponents Paphos Tigers had been defeated this season and hence the two clubs occupied first and second places in the league.

The kick off sent the ball deep into Paphos territory and was returned to touch half way between the Eagles 22 metre line and the half way line. The line-out fell into a maul at which Paphos were penalised for going over the top. Episkopi found touch on half way and from the lineout began a promising movement which was broken down by fierce tackling by the Paphos back row. From the scrum Paphos got quick ball handling the ball across the three-quarter line for a try in the corner by Marios Shattaoulas. The conversion from a long way out was unsuccessful going just wide of the near upright. (0 - 5).

The re-start was caught cleanly by the Paphos full-back who kicked ahead. Episkopi fielded and found touch on the Paphos ten metre line. The line-out was a scrappy affair which ended in a heavy-weight punch-up. The handbags removed play continued with Episkopi finding touch 20 metre from the Paphos line. Episkopi won  clean ball and went for a truck and trail. The ball emerged for an Episkopi inside break which Paphos repelled with strong defence. The ball became buried and Episkopi were awarded a scrum 10 metres from the Paphos line. The Paphos back row foiled an attempted break by the Episkopi scrum half and another scrum resulted. From this scrum Episkopi produced a big forward push leading to a try near the corner. The conversion failed bringing the scores to (5 - 5).

From the re-start Episkopi fielded and kicked ahead. One of their players was obstructed by a Paphos opponent. The penalty sent the ball to touch on the Paphos 22 metre line. Some good work by the Episkopi forwards ended with a line-out 10 metres from the Paphos line. Paphos won good ball but were caught behind the line. Paphos defended the resultant scrum stoutly and a new scrum was formed 5 metres out. Paphos won good quick ball and Scrum half Dimitri Maratheftis cleared the pressure with a big kick to the Paphos 10 metre line. The Episkopi forwards again produced some good work making 20 metres from the line-out. However, as the ball emerged with a Paphos turnover the Paphos three-quarters produced a terrific break and a kick ahead. Dimitri sprinted through, beating everyone else to the ball and the line which his momentum carried him over for the try. Tony Thoma converted.  (12 - 5)

From the re-start Paphos tried to move the ball but the move broke down. Episkopi turned the ball over but knocked on. Paphos got good ball from the scrum and found touch near half way. Good Episkopi line-out ball was thwarted by Paphos who then knocked on. Episkopi got scrappy ball from the scrum and good Paphos defence followed with a penalty to Paphos for crossing. Some very scrappy play with neither side going anywhere led to a scrum to Paphos for an Episkopi forward pass. From the scrum Paphos found touch 30 metres from the Episkopi line. From the line-out Episkopi found a good touch on half way then stole the ball from Paphos at the line-out. Paphos were penalised for going over the top and Episkopi found touch on the Paphos 22 metre line. Episkopi took the line-out ball but were unable to make any progress, play becoming very untidy. From an ensuing scrum after a Paphos knock on Episkopi began an adventurous move. Fierce Paphos defensive tackling won Paphos a penalty for the opposition not releasing. Paphos found touch first just inside the Episkopi half, then having won that line-out kicked ahead to deep in the Episkopi 22. The ball was well fielded but returned to touch only on the Episkopi 22. Episkopi stole the line-out ball but made no progress due to the strong Paphos defence. However, a Paphos knock on gave Episkopi a scrum from which they made an excellent break which broke down when a pass went forward.  At this point Paphos pounced on a loose ball and kicked ahead. At the second of the line-outs that followed,  Paphos broke through the line to charge down a relieving kick. Dimitri caught the charge down to score in the corner. The conversion failed. (17 - 5). The whistle went for half time immediately after the conversion attempt.

Paphos re-started with a kick deep into the Episkopi half. An untidy line-out led to a scrum to Paphos from an Episkopi knock on.  A decent Paphos movement which looked quite promising broke down when a pass went forward. Episkopi won the ball and a huge kick found touch 50 metres down field. Winning the line-out, Paphos ran at the opposition, but at the breakdown Episkopi again turned the ball over and found touch from another massive kick. Episkopi won the line-out ball but knocked on. Play became very scrappy as players appeared to tire. Attempts to move the ball by both sides broke down more through errors than particularly good defence. However, as the players began to get their second, wind play improved. From a scrum near the centre of the field Dimitri Maratheftis found himself in difficulties with the opposition on top of him.  He recovered well and managed to find touch just inside the Episkopi half. Episkopi tried another forward effort but found the Paphos defence too much for them. Eventually they settled for touch 30 metres from their own line.  Paphos picked up a resulting loose ball and Chris Thoma made a nice outside break. Poor tackling allowed him to be rewarded with the try. Tony Thoma converted (24 - 5).

The re-start resulted in a scrum 30 metres from the Episkopi line.  Episkopi won good ball and started a promising movement but ran out of space into touch on half way. The Episkopi forwards in winning the line-out knocked on and Paphos began a neat move but found the Episkopi defence too strong resulting in a maul and an Episkopi knock on. The maul following the scrum gave Paphos a penalty when an Episkopi forward went in from the side. Paphos decide to kick at goal  but the kick failed. Episkopi kicked long from the re-start and Paphos ran out of defence but passed forward. From the scrum Episkopi chose to kick to touch finding it 10 metres from the Paphos line. Paphos knocked on at the line-out and Episkopi tried forward pressure at the scrum. Paphos were strong enough to hold out with a loose ball resulting.  The scrum which followed a Paphos knock on gave Paphos the turnover but this led to an accidental off-side giving the scrum to Episkopi. Episkopi win good, clean quick ball and using the blind side went over unopposed in the corner.

The conversion failed. (24 - 10).

Paphos kicked the re-start down to the Episkopi line. The return kick failed to find touch and Paphos found a good touch on the Episkopi 22. From the line-out Episkopi found touch on half way.  A number of moves followed with the two sides alternating between moving the ball well and knocking on. During a short period of pressure from Paphos, the Episkopi three quarters put one of their number into space. He ran 70 metres and gave the ball to a supporting player who got the try.  The conversion failed (24 - 15)

Immediately on re-starting Episkopi won the ball from a loose maul and a 60 metre run led to another try. This conversion also failed. (24 - 20)

Play now became very scrappy and it seemed that Paphos were more up against time than they were against  Episkopi. Several scrums were defended fiercely and safe touches were found to keep Paphos in the game. It was one such touch that ended the game with the final score at (24 - 20)