Dhekelia Lions v Paphos Tigers
Saturday 25 November 2006

The 11.00 coach from the Keg left promptly at 11.15 with an enthusiastic, motley group of players and supporters. The first incident of the day occurred after about one hour when the coach had just passed Limassol. One certain player, whom I cannot name for legal reasons, but to be known in future as "Dai Parkinson" thought that he had left his kit at the Keg. Fortunately Niall, like all good coaches, looking after the welfare of his charges, had seen to it that "the bag" had been loaded. Arriving at the Dhekelia Garrison we were surprised to find the Garrison response level was at "Normal". Clearly the word was not out that the Paphos Tigers had arrived.

Dhekelia kicked off promptly at 14.00. The first contact was a big hit from Tony Thomas which set the physical level of the game. Numerous injuries from minor to needing substitution indicated a very physical no quarters match. From the first scrum Paphos heeled but a poor pass from the base of the scrum look dangerous. However, Chris Thoma recovered the position with a long kick and chase which resulted in a line out near the Dhekelia 22. From the line out, Dhekelia found touch half way between their 22 and the halfway line. Dhekelia turned over the Paphos possession only to have the ball stolen back by Paphos. Dhekelia entered the maul from the side and Paphos were awarded a penalty in a kickable position. Unfortunately the kick failed and Dhekelia found touch on their ten metre line. Dhekelia won the lineout and kicked deep into the Paphos half. Dhekelia stole the line out and began a good movement which broke down when a pass went forward. At the Paphos scrum Dhekelia produced a huge push resulting in a scrum collapse. From the re-set Chris Thoma for Paphos found Touch 35 metres from the Paphos line. The line out was very untidy and Dhekelia broke away, again handling well until a great Paphos tackle produced a ruck which Paphos drove back several yards. Paphos produced the ball and handled well across the three quarter line before a knock on ended the move. At the scrum Dhekelia kicked ahead over the dead ball line giving Paphos a scrum 30 metres out. Dhekelia turned over the ball and moved the ball first to the blind side then to the open. Another fierce Paphos tackle caused Dhekelia to throw forward in the tackle. Paphos won the scrum but the ball became buried and Dhekelia were awarded the next scrum, from which a promising Dhekelia move was spoiled by a forward pass. The scrum 12 metres inside the Dhekelia half was won by Paphos but lost when Dhekelia produced a big push leading to a maul. Paphos were adjudged to have entered the maul from the side and a penalty was awarded to Dhekelia. Dhekelia found touch 20 metres from the Paphos line. Paphos were penalised for barging at the line out and Dhekelia ran the ball at Paphos. A Dhekelia attempt to exploit the blind side at this point was thwarted by good Paphos defence ending with Dhekelia forced into touch 15 metres from the Paphos line. Despite Dhekelia winning plenty of ball at this stage, Paphos pressure led to a number of errors by Dhekelia concluding with the Dhekelia full back being forced to fly kick a kick ahead by Paphos as he came under the attention of Paphos players following up. Kicks to and fro failing to find touch ended with Paphos finding touch on their own 22. Dhekelia won the line out and started an open side move. Paphos intercepted and the best play by Paphos so far resulted in Paphos getting into the Dhekelia 22. The move broke down with a Paphos knock on and Dhekelia cleared to half way. Paphos knocked on at the line and at the scrum Paphos were caught off side. Dhekelia found touch on the Paphos 22. The Dhekelia palm back put the scrum half under pressure from Paphos and he knocked on. The scrum on the Paphos 10 metre line featured a great push by Paphos. The Paphos kick to touch was charged down and Dhekelia were able to run in to score the first try of the game under the Paphos posts for Mike Plant who proceeded to convert his own try, giving Dhekelia a 7 – 0 lead on 24 minutes.

From the re-start an exchange of unsuccessful touch kicks finally led to an open side move by Dhekelia which once more was stopped by fierce Paphos tackling. At the ruck Dhekelia were penalised for going over the top. Paphos found touch half way between the Dhekelia 22 and the half way line. Paphos had a good line out and a deep kick ahead was followed up for Alexi Pavlou to go over for a try on 29 minutes. Tony Thoma converted to bring the scores level at 7-7.

The Dhekelia re-start sent the ball over the dead ball line giving Paphos the scrum on half way. The heel was slow and Dhekelia were penalised for preventing the heel. Paphos found touch 25 metres from the Dhekelia line. The maul from the line out gave Paphos another penalty for off side. The kick was unsuccessful and Dhekelia found touch on their own 22. Paphos won the ball at the line out but were held in a maul. The ball was buried and a set scrum followed. The Paphos scrum was turned over, but good defensive work by Paphos well inside the Dhekelia half led to the award of a scrum to Paphos almost under the Dhekelia posts. An infringement at this scrum gave Paphos a penalty in front of the posts and close in. Tony Thoma's effort was good but sadly hit the right upright and went out. Two Dhekelia players found themselves in front of the kicker at the re-start giving Paphos a scrum on the Dhekelia 22. A huge push by Dhekelia set the scrum half off on a run. Paphos took the ball from the breakdown and found touch near the Dhekelia line. Some scrappy play in and around the Dhekelia 22 led to a neat break by Chris Thoma who found touch 30 metres from the Dhekelia line. Dhekelia came away in a good move but Paphos defence was again too good and Dhekelia were forced to kick to touch right on half time.

An entertaining half which promised more later. While the players are of course the stars of the occasion tribute should be paid to the "water carriers" who keep the players fuelled for the game. The Dhekelia re-start was kicked straight into touch. At the scrum the Dhekelia scrum half stole the ball only to have his opposite number steal it back. Touch was found on the Paphos 10 metre line. Paphos won the ball but poor handing gave Dhekelia a turn over. A period of stern defence by Paphos followed as Dhekelia dominated possession. This period ended when Dhekelia committed a late tackle behind the Paphos goal line after a Paphos player had kicked to touch. The ball had already been grounded and a drop out was given. A number of attempts by Paphos to run the ball broke down but Paphos managed to keep possession and found touch half way between the Dhekelia 22 and the half way line. Paphos won clean ball and the forwards drove through the defence. A quick heel followed and the ball moved through Paphos hands to Mario Shattaoulas who ran in the second Paphos try on 51 minutes. Tony Thoma made no mistake with the conversion. (14- 7). Paphos ran the re-start kick back at Dhekelia but Dhekelia were awarded a penalty for Paphos not releasing. Dhekelia found touch 2 metres inside their own half. Dhekelia won the ball and moved it first left and then right. However, the powerful Paphos defence denied them any territorial progress and at the eventual breakdown Paphos won the ball. A series of movements and rucks and mauls followed with Paphos finding touch on the Dhekelia 22. The Dhekelia line out was adjudged not straight but Dhekelia turned the scrum over and started a good handling move only to be penalised for not releasing. The Paphos releaving kick found touch 30 metres out. A scrappy line out produced a ruck and buried ball. Paphos were penalised for delaying the put in, Dhekelia won the ball and found touch 10 metres from the Paphos line. Dhekelia won the line out but Paphos turned the ball over and found touch on the 22. Dhekelia again won the ball but their growing frustration showed as they entered a maul from the side. Paphos failed to find touch and Dhekelia ran the ball back at them. Following a high tackle by Paphos, Dhekelia found touch in the corner on their right. Dhekelia got on the wrong side of the ensuing maul and Paphos got touch 35 metres out. Paphos took the line out and kicked long and deep into the Dhekelia 22. A Dhekelia centre fielded the ball and ran at Paphos. Some poor attempts to tackle him meant that he made about 60 metres before he was eventually stopped. Dhekelia seemed encouraged by this and for the next 10-15 minutes dominated again. However, as in the first half they were held by the Paphos defence. Paphos knocked on but turned the ball over, kicked ahead and chased the ball down. Dhekelia fielded cleanly and found touch 35metres from the Paphos line maintaining the attack. From a Dhekelia knock on Paphos won the scrum and kicked deep into the Dhekelia half, the return finding touch 35 metres from the Dhekelia line. The scrum was turned and Dhekelia got the put in. They heeled cleanly and found touch 35 metres from the Paphos line. Dhekelia seemed at this point to get their second wind. They took a handling movement dangerously close to the Paphos line getting touch 5 metres out. Play continued with Dhekelia running at the almost impenetrable Paphos defence. At one point four players lay stretched out o the ground. Eventually Paphos were awarded a penalty for Dhekelia going over the top. Paphos found touch 35 metres out but were penalised for delaying the throw. Dhekelia moved the ball from right to left along the line and knocked on at which point the referee appeared to play advantage and Dhekelia found touch 23 metres out. Dhekelia won the ball but Paphos spoiling tactics led to another scrum. This collapsed and was re-set twice. The second time on the final whistle.

A hard entertaining game had ended with Paphos Tigers, still undefeated this season, running out winners by 14 points to 7.