With a look at the standings and the remaining chances of points between now and the end of the season, Sunday’s match played on the “Aldo Levi” pitch becomes a fundamental crossroads for both teams: Varese are at the bottom of the standings, with the specter of playout which also involves the Savona team, who occupy 9th position in the standings and have not yet reached the mathematical certainty of salvation. The two teams have already played against each other on three occasions, with the home team always winning: the previous matches were very close, and on this occasion too everything was decided on individual episodes. The match developed in substantial constant balance, with small overtakings and counter-overtakings in the score for both teams: in the first half it will be the tries of Franchello for Savona and Nardi for Varese that move the scoreboard, with the points at the foot that they bear the signature of Serra for the guests and of Ficarra for the Lombards.
The score also confirms what was seen on the pitch: at half-time the two teams went to rest with the result 16 to 16. In the economy of the match, summing up, the static phases will make a big difference: while on the meeting points it will be Varese to come out with their heads held high, with a better attitude and speed in support which on several occasions will turn into free kicks in their favor, the touchouts and scrums will instead be driven by Savona, in particular thanks to the great performance of prop Giacobbe , today also on the shields in open play. The second half of the game develops along the same lines as the first, with continuous reversals in front and with the score which, again thanks to the warm feet of the two designated placers, Serra and Ficarra, both authors of a splendid match and precise orchestra conductors , until a few minutes from the end, will remain in the balance.
Serra will once again be decisive in deciding the fate of the match, with a brilliant interception that interrupts Lombard’s competitive fury in full progress in the Savona 22 and which establishes the final result of 22 to 27 at the end of a lightning-fast 70 meter run. It is difficult to decide on just one man of the match: the performances of Serra, finisher of 22 of the 27 points scored by the red and whites, of Giacobbe author of a masterful performance as already mentioned previously, of Franchello who scored the first Savonese try but was the protagonist throughout the match, and of Boraschi, with 80 minutes of great quality which do not reveal his young age but which confirm the great work carried out by the youth categories such as the Under 18 from which the Savonese center comes.
Now two weeks of rest for Serie B, a period in which the Savona team should recover other important players in order to conclude the current season in the best possible way, with 4 games still to be played: salvation is not yet mathematical but the 4 points achieved in Varese they guarantee a fair margin of tranquility for the red and whites, who on equal points with Cernusco in 8th position can enjoy a 1 point advantage over Ivrea, 6 over Pro Recco and 19 over Varese, but with the three teams that have to still recover one match each.
The comment of Andrea Costantino, Seniores Savona coach: “We prepared the match with great attention and we managed to follow, even if not always, the game plan worked out during the week. On away games we always struggle to find the right match rhythm, but the motivation in this case produced a positive effect, and the result achieved in Varese allows us to look at the next matches with renewed serenity”.
For Savona the following took the field: Baccino, Di Murro, Giacobbe, Fazio, Ramaj, Paoletti (c), Franchello, Pivari, M. Bernat, Rossi, Vallarino, Correoso, Boraschi, Serra, Franceri. Available: Magnaghi, Shehu, Dogali, Urbani, Guida, Fossati, Garzoglio. For Varese the following took the field: Altomare, Nardi, Diani, Loretti Restelli Zanotti, Ciavarella, Spiteri, Perin, Sessarego, Sacchetti, Baudo, Ficarra, Pandozy (c), Malnati, Ceaprazaru, Palla. Available: Arreghini, Lasarte, Misiti, Bonesso, Fulginiti, Provasoli.
For the youth categories: external commitment for the Under 18 boys who met the same age group of URP Alessandria at Comollo in Novi Ligure last Sunday, in the match valid for the 7th day of the championship, on a spring day with temperatures definitely above average. Initial study phase between the two teams, who face each other head on. Savona seems more enterprising and, despite not being able to find the open play as fluid as planned, they scored the first try in the 10th minute with Tabor who at the end of a well-organised action looked for and found the right spaces among the opponents to go to sign. Copycat action in the 20th minute for the second goal of the Ligurians, who with Galuppo’s two transformations bring the result to 0-14.
There were many further opportunities for the red and whites to score, but the reaction of the Piedmontese was rewarded and, thanks to a Savonese defense that was not very reactive and effective, the hosts found the goal with an insistent action, which fixed the result of the first half on 7-14. After the break the teams return to the field but Savona remains tense and imprecise, trying but only partially managing to open the game. And it was precisely on a fast move that Montaldo (today wearing the number 11 shirt in the unprecedented role of winger played with generosity and commitment) found the third Ligurian try, for the 7-19. Alessandria does not give up and insists on its reaction and, attacking with consistency, takes advantage of the Ligurian defense’s bad moment by scoring the second try and taking the break at 14-19.
The few minutes at the end of the match saw a yellow card for each side and the two teams trying to close out the result. Alessandria attacks persistently and Savona resists but, with time up, they give in, and the Piedmontese find the equalizer which, after the goal, becomes that of the victory 21-19, a deserved result by Alessandria, capable of believing in it and fighting until in the end. Savona returns home with the regret of the many things that were not successful, a regret that the defensive bonus point can only partially mitigate. Now we need to immediately regain concentration and head to prepare for the important match scheduled on the Sarre pitch against Stade Valdotain on Saturday 6 April for the recovery of the 5th matchday.
Taking the field for Savona: 1 VANNONI 2 BRUZZONE 3 FANTI 4 CIORRA 5 INZAINA 6 BRIASCO 7 CATARSI VCAP 8 CAMOIRANO 9 GALUPPO 10 FRANCIOSO CAP 11 MONTALDO 12 BERTOLOTTO 13 DAMELE 14 MOGGIA 15 TABOR 16 CALELLA 17 ROSSI ALL.: MARCO CAMOIRANO
