At last, the Naija Boys of White City got their London Division 3 season on the road with a gutsy and almost cold-blooded victory. Guilty of naivety and over-ebaloration in their previous games, this time out Nigerian showed a greater directness in attack and just a little more “dog” in defence.

They began strongly, Jemi Akin-Olugbade opening the scoring after a strong run through the Finchley midfield carried him over the line. Ugo Ekeowa’s conversion made it 7 – 0 with about 10 minutes played. More strong running from Jemi and Ali Shelleng in the centres saw the hosts pressing again shortly after. Finchley infringed and were punished by an Ekeowa penalty kick extending the lead to 10 – 0.

Unable to maintain that level of intensity much longer, Nigerian let Finchley back into the game. The visitors put together a bright passage of attacking rugby, recycling the ball quickly at the breakdown and eventually working their way over for a try on the right. With the lead reduced to 10 – 5, the hosts put their foot down on the accelerator once more, another Ekeowa penalty goal stretching the lead. Finchley responded swiftly with a goal of their own to stay close to their hosts at 13 – 8.

Needing to move up a gear once more, Nigerian turned to their most experienced player. Jemi, a learned barrister, has a deserved reputation for being rather garrulous yet is never more eloquent than when he lets his feet do the talking. At his best when running in broken play, he carved up the visitors’ defence for a delightful solo try to re-establish a ten-point advantage at 18 – 8.

Nigerian looked to be in cruise control at this stage, patiently chipping away at Finchley’s resistance. Their calm was broken by a breakout kick and chase by the visitors with the Nigerian fullback beaten in the foot race for the touch down. The successful conversion narrowed the gap to just 3 points though another Ekeowa penalty gave the host side a six-point cushion going in at half time.

The Nigerian engine ran considerably less smoothly in the second half as the forwards went a little off the boil and the execution in the backs got a little sloppy. Finchley sensed weakness and seized upon this immediately taking the game to their hosts as things became rather less ordered. They edged into the lead as the game entered the final quarter and blew a chance to kill off the game, when a clear try was missed by the Finchley centre who mistook the 5-metre for the try line and flopped down too early to the delight of IK Iroche & Neal Fetterman in pursuit.

Nigerian stayed calm and took the game to their visitors with gusto, the motor purring regally once again. In a throwback to the bygone years of his youth, Ugo scored a dazzling 50-metre try ablaze with shimmies and sidesteps to bring his team a point behind their guests. He made sure of the conversion to reclaim the lead at 28 – 27 and cueing a nail-biting end to proceedings.

With two minutes to play, Nigerian conceded a penalty whilst in possession on the Finchley 22. Omokhodion’s verbal dissent lost them a further 10-yards and then the touch-finder leaving them with a lineout to defend in the last play of the game. The midfield pressed up aggressively, Finchley dropped the ball and Luke Davids hacked on for Jemi to complete his trifecta with a score under the posts. Ugo inexplicably missed the conversion (we love him anyway). 33 – 27 and the first victory of the season.

Job done.

Next week: Away vs Tabard

Report by IK Iroche

1. Steve Hanlon (r: Omokhodion 60mins)
2. Neal Fetterman
3. Osondu Anodu
4. Babs Kehinde
5. Ian Morrison
6. Leon Barrett
7. Maynard Ahukanna
8. Rob Hartley
9. Mark Lam
10. Ugo Ekeowa
11. Luke Davids
12. Ali Shelleng (C)
13. Jemi Akin-Olugbade
14. IK Iroche
15. Winston Bell-Gam (r: Irele, 70mins)
16. Osahon Omokhodion
17. Bankie Irele