Police & Mariners Play In Paul Marsden Memorial
In the 11th annual Paul Marsden Memorial game, the Police team — sporting pink socks for SADS/Cancer awareness — took on a short handed Mariners team fielding some guest players. After a poignant minute of silence, the game kicked off under increasingly darker skies.
Both sides exchanged some early body blows with committed tackles in defense. A nice combination by Blues stand off Stephan Smit and Darren Richardson saw the burly backrow player cut deep end into Mariners half- recycled through three phases before Dan Cole reached across from close. The conversion was missed 5-0
Mariners responded from the kick off driving deep and were awarded a kickable penalty but they opted to kick for touch and an attacking line out.
They executed a perfect take and drive and scored a text book try by national team prop Dustan Archibold. The conversion was missed, and the game was 5-5 in an evenly balanced opening stanza.
Police charged back and some good continuity play saw them work deep into an attacking position. Stefan Smit broke through the green defense with a line and scored between the posts. Michael Kane converted 12-5.
Mariners ebbed back and some strong pick and drives up front put them in a promising position, but stout police defense created a turn over.
Police captain Tommy Edwards clearing kick swirled in the wind and the Mariners winger had it bounce off his shoulder into the grateful hands of the omnipresent Smit who galloped in from 70 meters out. Kane converted to advance the score to 19-5.
The unexpected turn of fortune seemed to put the Greens in disarray and confusion off the restart saw a ruthless Police team spin the ball away from the turn over into the hands of winger Guerhardt Lamprecht who finished it off with aplomb.
Kane’s kicking continued with the difficult conversion. 26-5.
Police piled forward and made inroads into an increasingly porous Mariners defense. Off the base of an attacking scrum, Smit scored his third try of the half. Kane missed the conversion but Police were firmly in control 31-5.
With the wheels coming off the Mariners bus Police continued to school the greens with flowing rugby- good break by winger Chiquon Smith was recycled quickly and a clinically finished by outside center Mike Henebrey.
Kane’s form with boot retuned to extend the lead further 38-5.
Good passage of play saw Police probe deeper and a run by Darren Richardson ended in a score next to the posts. Kane’s day continued with a conversion talking the score to 45-5 at the half.
Mariners responded well in the second half and some sustained possession saw them work into the police half. A high tackle by Police prop Artie Darrel saw referee Weale issue the mandatory yellow card. Mariners pounded away at the police line but could not breach a resolute blue defense.
A strong run by Mariners guest player Rory Boyce saw the chiseled winger round the defense to score between the posts. The conversion was blocked but Mariners got on the second half score board 45-10.
Police responded off the kick off forcing a turn over and a decisive run by Tommy Edwards added to the score line. Kane converted to get the score line to 52-10.
Mariners never gave up and continued to attack at every opportunity. They got a break when Darren Richardson was adjudicated to have tackled Boyce high and was shown a yellow card by referee Weale.
Police defenders committed themselves to the shorthanded task and were rewarded for their efforts by a lightning turnover and counter attack resulting in a Adam “Powder” Rossides try. Kane converted to take score to 59-10. Kane converted seven of polices nine tries in a dominating performance.
Police received the coveted Marsden trophy from D/Supt Sean Field-Lament who read out the following message from the Marsden family, “Thank you for coming along today to the Paul Marsden Memorial game, the 11th game since Paul passed away sadly all those years ago.
“It’s gone by very quickly but it’s been a very difficult 11 years without him, and by playing in this game today, you help us keep Paul’s memory alive and that is the most important thing to us as a family. So please don’t underestimate the importance of playing today, even if you didn’t know Paul and maybe you haven’t known the story behind today’s game, what you’re doing today is massively important to us.
“I believe today you’re going to be wearing pink socks to raise money for the charity that we’ve been supporting ever since Paul died back in 2006 which is the SADS charity for Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, over which time we’ve raised somewhere in the region of £10,000 to buy equipment for doctors surgeries and other establishments, things like heart monitors and defibrillators. We hope to continue doing so, and with your help we’ll be able to do that.
“So I won’t keep you any longer other than to say a huge thank you from me, my brother Barrie and my Mum and Dad and just to remind you that today is so important to us even though we can’t be there we’re right with you and thank you again for taking part and for keeping Paul’s memory alive.”
