Beaconsfield stalked by winning habit's evil twin (From Bucks Free Press)

Beaconsfield just can get over winning line

5:10pm Friday 19th October 2012 in Local Sport By Alan Feldberg

THE winning habit has an evil twin and it has forged an uncomfortably close fixation on Beaconsfield this season.

Saturday’s 28-25 defeat in Chingford was another occasion when it stalked and dogged the Bucks club until it finally got its own way in the final moments of yet another match Beaconsfield could and maybe should have won this season.

Instead, they have lost seven out of seven London 1 North games, and not always to a better team.

Last weekend was the second three-point loss of the season. There has also been a four-point reversal in there and an agonising one-point defeat that possibly started it all off.

Head coach Allan Greene said: “I’ve never been in this position before, where we’ve lost so many close games.

“If we were losing by 20 or 30 points then you’d say the opposition were better than you, but we’re equal with a lot of these teams and we just need a bit of luck.

“We can’t really do any more. The lads left themselves out there on Saturday and if we keep doing that then it’s a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’.

“But it does affect the players. We’re used to winning games and the morale does take a beating.”

Saturday’s reversal was as excruciating as it comes, and in the final moments Greene and the rest of the Beaconsfield backroom were staff were actually leaping about in celebration on the touchline.

One of their players had just ran over for the match-winning try but, symptomatic of their season so far, the referee called play back for a debated forward pass.

The decision was crushing and established a Chingford penalty a few moments earlier, that turned 25-25 into 25-28, as the game’s defining moment.

Greene said: “We were jumping up and down and dancing on the line because we knew it was just about the final play of the game.

“But then the ref called it back. Even their players said it was marginal.”

At the moment though, marginal calls are going against Beaconsfield.

Greene said: “It was their forwards against our backs and in open play we had chances and scored three fantastic tries.

“But unfortunately when it gets tight the opposition forwards, who always seem to be heavier, get a decision or win a penalty.

“At 25-25 a scrum in our 22 collapsed on the far side. How the referee could see that it was our man who pulled it down I don’t know.”

That settled it though, and Beaconsfield must now pin their hopes on a tide-turner at struggling Romford tomorrow.

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