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London Irish 38 Edinburgh 6
ANDREW FENBY marked his return to the London Irish starting line-up with a hat-trick of tries as Edinburgh were blown away at Madejski Stadium this afternoon.
Alex Lewington, Johnny Williams and Aseli Tikiorotuma also went over the line as the hosts produced arguably their best performance of the season, putting league worries to one side and getting their European Challenge Cup campaign back on track in the process.
Shane Geraghty, also recalled to the starting XV following injury, slotted over six points as the Exiles ran out comfortable and convincing winners against Pro12 opposition.
Fenby and Geraghty were two of five changes made by coach Tom Coventry from the side beaten 38-7 at Harlequins last time out.
But the hosts would found themselves forced back inside their own 22-metre line during the early exchanges, and fell behind soon after when Greig Tonks kicked Edinburgh, last season’s runners-up in the competition, into a 3-0 lead with a penalty just right of centre.
The fly-half was again clearing the posts minutes later, making no mistake with another penalty from a similar position, which was awarded following an Irish infringement in the scrum.
Falling 6-0 behind, however, appeared the galvanize the hosts – and the response was both immediate and effective.
Working his way out of a tight spot over on the left touchline, Fenby took off, breezing past two challenges as he made his way to the game line.
The winger was eventually held up – but only briefly, recovering well to squeeze the ball over and put his side on the board.
In trying to put the conversion inside the near upright, Geraghty got his angles narrowly wrong and the chance to nudge ahead was missed – but not that the Exiles would trail for much longer, however.
Continuing to penetrate their guests Irish, and Fenby, were soon celebrating try number two.
And it was from a slick move where the No.11 would barge over in the corner, finishing off an attack which saw Edinburgh carved open on their right side.
Geragthy confidentially slotted over the extras this time and Coventry’s men were now ahead.
The Scottish side duly rallied, and only a knock on denied them a way to the line having worked the ball into the right corner, while in another let off for Irish, Tonks, this time over on the left, shanked a penalty the wrong side of a post.
Yet apart from these two moments, the Irish were relatively stubborn defensively, and going forward they packed a real punch.
Edinburgh had little answer to the Exiles’ attacking aresenal during the first half, and they were blown wide open once again on 28 minutes, where some quick play between the backs allowed Lewington to race in from some 40 meters to cross the whitewash unopposed.
It was a stunning score from the hosts, who executed a move straight from the training ground to perfection.
Geraghty again had the range and the advantage was stretched to 19-6.
Although now in control, the hosts were dealt a blow when a bang to the head forced off captain Luke Narraway, with Blair Cowan replacing the flanker.
Prior to this, yet more defensive resolve thwarted an attack from the guests, who were forced into several errors before Geraghty cleared away any remaining threat of danger.
Irish would finish the half encamped in opposition territory as they went in search of a vital bonus point, and having Edinburgh pegged back on their own try line would result in Tonks receiving the yellow card having come into a ruck from the side.
The fly-half had barely left the pitch, however, when the returning Johnny Williams was helping himself to another European try.
It was a clinical phase of play from the Aviva Premiership side, who again showed quick hands in working the ball from right to left, where Academy product Williams dabbed down in the corner.
In doing so, the 19-year-old centre kept up his habit of scoring in every senior game he has played this season.
Edinburgh would need to force the issue if they were to stand any chance of clawing back a 20-point deficit, and they did start the second half brightly, but all avenues to the try line were blocked by a stubborn Irish defence.
Cornell Du Preez and Tom Brown tried valiantly to force a way over, and came within a yard of doing so having shown good hands, only to be bundled into touch by the hosts’ rearguard.
Irish did take a little while to get going, but having rebuffed Edinburgh’s earlier advances, normal service appeared to resume.
Tikorotuma, though, tried to be too clever from one venture forward, with his backwards pass dropping loose, while a driving run from Sean Maitland, who shrugged off numerous attempted tackles in the process, was to be grounded well short of the line.
But it would come as no surprise when the hosts bagged try number five.
In a pattern of play which was a joy to watch, both Cowan and Tikiorotuma were heavily involved as the away side were sliced open down the left, with the later finishing off the move.
But the scoring was not yet over, as a perfect day for man-of-the-match Fenby was to end with the player securing his treble four minutes from time.
And it was a score engineered by fellow winger Lewington, who surged down the right channel before chipping the ball into space, where his team-mate showed great determination to beat an opponent to the loose ball, jink past the attempted tackle and dart over the line.
Repacement Theo Brophy Clews punted over the additional two points and a second win of the season was wrapped up.
Victory also saw Irish avenge the 23-18 defeat suffered by the same opposition in the quarter-final of the same competition back in April.
The two sides clash again up in the Scottish capital this Friday, where a win for Irish would all but eliminate their opponents, and edge Exiles closer to securing a top two finish in the group.
Kick-off at Murrayfield is 7.30pm.
London Irish: Maitland; Lewington; Tikoirotuma (Brophy Clews 65); Williams (Waldouck 56); Fenby; Geraghty; McKibbin (Allinson 71); Court (Smallbone 56); Ellis (Stevens 61); Franks (Halavatau 61); Sheriff; Sinclair (Sisi 70); Narraway (c) (Cowan 35); Gilsenan, Treviranus.
Scorers: Fenby x3, Lewington, Williams, Tikiorotuma.
Penalties/conversions: Geraghty x3, Brophy Clews.
Edinburgh: Fife (Kinghorn 73); Brown (Hoyland 51); Allen; Strauss; Katoa; Tonks; Fowles (Hidalgo-Clyne 40); Sutherland (Shiells); Cochrane (c); Andress (Berghan 53); Bresler; Toolis; Ritchie (Bradbury 50); Watson (Turner 73); Du Preez.
Rep not used: Dean.
Scorers: –
Penalties/conversions: Tonks x2
Scoring: 0-3; 0-6; 5-6; 10-6; 12-6; 17-6; 19-6; 24-6; 26-6; 31-6; 36-6; 38-6.
Attendance: 3,959
Referee: Leighton Hodges.
