法興銀行華利欖球會(華利)在上週六的「盛寶金融本地男子超級欖球聯賽」中，於下半場豪取13分並成功阻止Herbert Smith Freehills香港大學沙灣隊(沙灣隊)得分，以23-14戰勝對手。同日其他賽果還有Borrelli Walsh三軍會猛虎欖球會(猛虎) 以16-16賽和彭博香港蘇格蘭人欖球隊(蘇格蘭人) ，取得今季的第一 分; Natixis香港足球會(港會)以25-14輕取香港嘉里酒店九龍欖球會( 九龍)。

作客的猛虎憑後備前鋒伊仁艾化域治(Ian Etheridge)於80分鐘的達陣，除抵消對手新加盟的澳洲兵米高蒙路尼(Michael Moloney)扳甲兩仗以來的首個達陣外，更在完場前迫和蘇格蘭人。米高蒙路尼早前還射入3個罰球，猛虎的麥尼殊(Gregor McNeish)的射術也不遑多讓，他亦在上半場命中禾度(Jack Wardle)達陣後的附加罰球。

蘇格蘭人今季仍然金身不破，但今仗賽和後與華利並列榜首(10分) ，勝出的港會未能取得額外積分，以9分排第3位，沙灣隊和九龍並列第4位，猛虎則排第6位。

華利在主場幾經苦戰下才能取勝，他們開局的攻勢欠缺方向，反被沙灣隊取得不少主導權。主隊面對客軍的嚴密防守，卻苦無對策，只能靠史葛戴維臣(Scott Davidson)在33分鐘的罰球打破僵局。

沙灣隊的雲達史密(Luke van der Smit)獨闖龍潭並在角落旗達陣，菲立斯(Iwan Phillips)射入窄角度附加罰球，分數反超前至7-3。

華利積極反撲卻徒勞無功，反被對手的史尼譚(Liam Slatem)製造機會予班頓比拿文(Brandon Bellamin)達陣，菲立斯射入額外兩分，將分差拉開至14-3。

華利加強施壓令沙灣隊的前鋒線犯錯，賓拿迪(Sion Bennett)成為達陣受惠者，史葛戴維臣的附加罰球將比分追近至10-14。

菲立斯在完半場前錯失一次罰球，未能改寫分數。

「知恥近乎勇」的華利在下半場加強火力，大部份時間圍攻沙灣隊的區域。華利的猛烈攻勢獲得13分回報並「零封」對手，當中成功凍結雲達史密甚為關鍵。

下半場甫開賽華利已在沙灣隊的達陣線兵臨城下，但沙灣隊拚命防守令雙方多番在鬥牛陣糾纏。隨著時間和體力的消耗，受壓的沙灣隊迫不得已犯規，史葛戴維臣完場前30分鐘的罰球追近至13-14。

華利之後不斷在左路發難，可惜欠缺準繩的傳球和對手的港腳拜恩(Seb Brien)穩健防守，此消彼長下華利的港腳薩耶斯(Harry Sayers)未能取得任何分數。

華利調整戰術，藉中場的界外球開始策動攻勢，經過一輪強行推進後，由甘寶(Grant Kemp)達陣和史葛戴維臣射入附加罰球，反先沙灣隊。

客軍也不甘示弱，史尼譚幾乎梅開二度，但華利的防守聞風不動。史葛戴維臣完場前兩分鐘射入罰球將分數改為 23-14，更令客軍未能取得額外積分。

沙灣隊主帥韋京臣(Brett Wilkinson)對賽果甚為失落並說:  「我們下半場的表現沒有什麼建榭。我們再次為欠缺準繩度而付出代價，而撥亂反正只能靠自己。對手的演出實在我方之上。」

「如果我們發揮正常便很有威脅，但先決條件是提升執行力和做好本分。我們現在要為下一仗做好準備。」

華利教頭安祖基利(Andrew Kelly)雖然勝出但仍有不滿，他道: 「我們首3輪攻勢皆最後拱手相讓，假使要在聯賽立足便不能如此表現，我們要糾正這問題。」

「我們下半場有所起色和對手施壓，並成功收復失地，這是面對強大對手必需採取的策略。」

球季只有10輪賽事，安祖基利深諳每戰皆是許勝不許敗，他補充道: : 「我們之前已吃下敗仗。今場又有些老手病發作，所以必需加以改善和更努力。」

雖然仍有7輪賽事，各支爭標球隊要與時間競賽。

Valley probed the left wing repeatedly in the dying stages, looking to get sevens star Harry Sayers into space, but poorly timed passes and typically solid defence from Seb Brien, another of Hong Kong’s short-form veterans, kept Sayers from scoring.

The inexorable pressure told in the final 20, when Valley scored a second try, this time after a driving lineout maul that stared close to halfway. Valley rolled for 20 metres before their second phase carried the attack to the line and a massive shove deposited prop Grant Kemp on the score sheet. Davidson’s conversion was good and Valley retook the lead for the first time since the first quarter.

The visitors intensified their efforts, and Slatem nearly conjured up a second try against the run of play when he recovered a charged kick with 40-metres of space to the line, but the play was blown dead. But outside of a few jailbreaks, Valley had an answer for everything Sandy Bay threw at them.

A third penalty from Davidson in the 78^th minute pushed the final score to 23-14, stealing the losing bonus point from Sandy Bay as time expired, and leaving visiting coach Brett Wilkinson frustrated.

“We didn't do ourselves any favours in that second half, we just weren’t good enough. It is disappointing that we were inaccurate again. It is the same issues and it is in our hands to fix it. They were good today but we were not at the races.

“When we back ourselves and stick to structure, we’re competitive. It comes down to execution and people learning and doing their jobs. There’s no let-up. We have to get to work preparing for next week.”

His counterpart Andrew Kelly was also unimpressed with his charges, but pleased to get the win.

“Our first three set piece attacks we either turned it over straightaway or after first phase. With the quality of this league you can’t give the impetus to the opposition cheaply. That has got to be a work-on for us; we have to be more clinical around the park really.

“We upped our game in the second half; we pressured them well and finally kept a hold of the ball in their half and grinded them down a bit. That’s what we needed to do, they are a big and quality team so we needed to really grind them.”

With only ten rounds in the Premiership, Kelly knows it was, “an important win - especially since we’re still disappointed about losing last week. Some of those issues came back again today. Some of what we’ve been working on we saw today, but there is still a long way to go for this team.”

With seven rounds remaining there may be a long way to go for the teams, but all Premiership sides will be out of running room soon.