This was a must win game for the Jimmies, to keep any hope of promotion alive!! Jimmies started the game off quite strong putting pressure on the visitors 22 ,and could have scored tries on a couple of occasions, but the opposition had other ideas, all credit to their defence with a strong back row and back line. The visitors were to draw first blood culminating in some poor defence from the Jimmies, which led to a 70mtr runaway try.
Jimmies came back strong and started by playing to their strengths <pack> which was to prove the difference between two very close competitive teams, this resulted in Jamie (the wedge) Hargrave going over for his first try to level the scores at 5 each. The visitors soon replied with a penalty with some poor discipline from the Jimmies, to take the scores to 8 points to 5 at half time.
The second half started much like the first with not much to separate the two sides, into the last quarter of the game the opposition took advantage from another penalty to stretch their lead to 11 points to 5. Jimmies knew all they needed was a converted try to snatch the game from the visitors and piled on the pressure, which eventually came with Hargrave getting his second try of the game. Blane Howe took over kicking duties to convert the try which took the scores to 12 points to 11 and win the game. Bugbrooke could have won with a penalty near the end but their kicker must have been thinking about the Soccer AM crossbar challenge and kicked the ball right on it .
Well done the Jimmies for a very entertaining game of Rugby!!!!!!!!!
Rishworthians complete their Yorkshire Five B fixtures with the postponed top of the table clash with Rotherham Phoenix. The visitors have put in some notable performances in recent weeks and will be keen to erase the Copley club’s 100 per cent record and seek revenge for a 13-0 loss at Rotherham in October.
Rishworthians are bound to be rusty after long lay-offs around Christmas and postponed games due to the weather – including last week’s scheduled home game with Mosborough, called off after the pitch was flooded. But they name a strong squad and hope to have James Clarke back at No 8 and include centre Chris Flanagan on his return to the club after successful seasons with Bolton. With Ian Teasdale unavailable, Chris Fox moves into the second row and Rishworthians name three hookers, Dave Morley, Chris Lowe and Matt Shaw in the squad.
Phoenix have been Rishworthians’ toughest opponents in Yorkshire Five B and recent successes will have buoyed them even further, so the Copley men will have to be at their best to take the points. A victory would put them into a strong position for the games against the A section teams, which start next week at home to local rivals Halifax Vandals, who lead the A division.
Match Report
Rishworthian officials battled to get their pitch playable after heavy overnight snow – and it paid dividends. The result of this much postponed top of the table clash left the Copley Club with a 100 per cent record against Yorkshire 5B clubs, before they turn their attention to games against A section teams. While the heavy pitch meant it was very much a forward battle, Rishworthians always looked dangerous when the ball went out to the backs. But the final score was almost a replica of when the teams met at Rotherham in October, where Rishworthians were 13-0 winners.
The visitors were on the back foot for most of the first half and while they came out strongly in the second, the Copley men finished the game off in confident style. Rishworthians exerted pressure right from the start, pinning the visitors in their own half. Knowing that every point might count in a closely fought game, stand-off Jamie Bloem took a penalty kick from the right touchline and hit the upright. But minutes later he was on target with a fine kick out of the mud on the left touchline to convert a Rishworthian try. No 8 James Clarke had stolen the ball in a maul and it went out via centre Fraser Davidson and outstanding flanker Max Prashad to left wing Nick Faulkner, who romped over in the corner, Bloem adding the extras. A strong break by Clarke from his own half almost brought a try for fullback Joe Billing, but he was forced into touch short of the line. Rishworthians maintained the pressure but were kept at bay by strong Rotherham tackling and were unable to add to their 7-0 lead by half time.
Half Time Rishworthians 7 - 0 Rotherham Phoenix
Prop Paul Thomas came on for the second period and the home scrum, which had creaked at times, stabilised. The lineouts proved very much a lottery, but Rishworthians always looked strong in the loose and in the backs. The home side absorbed early Rotherham pressure in the second period and then gained relief with a Bloem penalty only to give away three points soon after with a kick from Rotherham’s best player, fullback Ben Coleman. But it seemed to spur them on and they came back strongly.
Centre Chris Flanagan in his first game back at the club showed his speed chasing a long kick to the line. He failed to make the touch down, but the pressure was on the visitors and when they tried to run the ball from the their own line, Rishworthians’ man of the match, lock Chris Fox, put in a strong tackle which resulted in an easy penalty for Bloem. With the points cushion restored, the Copley men finished the game confidently, retaining possession within the forwards to run down the clock.
Weston played away at North Petherton in a highly entertaining and high scoring match.
North Petherton opened the scoring but Weston responded quickly when from a scrum 10 metres out Jamie Shelley fed Rory Hancock, who cut back on the blind side to score in the corner. North Petherton attacked again but good defensive work by Ollie Coombes, Ollie Phillips and Morgan Orme kept them out. Weston took the lead when Matt Kerrigan made a good break from his own half before off loading to Jamie Shelley who out-paced two defenders to score. Soon after, Brandon Robinson scored a solo effort when he managed to wriggle free of two tackles in midfield and run over. North Petherton fought back well and scored twice to level the scores, but Weston then piled on the pressure. Firstly, Rory Hancock sliced through the defence with a quick restart from half way, then Matt Kerrigan used his strength to turnover the ball in a tackle and run in from his own half, and from a penalty Brandon Robinson received quick ball and darted over in the corner. At half time Weston led 30 – 15.
The second half began with two excellent rolling mauls to set up a scrum close to North Petherton’s line, from which Ben Peck fed Matt Kerrigan who broke through a tackle to score. Brandon Charlton then made an excellent break from 20 metres out to beat several defenders and score in the corner. Brandon Robinson added another when he picked up a loose ball in midfield and ran over. But North Petherton refused to lie down and Simon Williams was magnificent in defence, making numerous brave tackles to stop their attacks. However they pulled one back before Brandon Robinson scored again when he ripped the ball out of a maul and ran over in the centre. Hayden Gibbs then made a superb break from half way before laying the ball back in the tackle for Ben Eades to pick up and dive over in the corner. North Petherton added another before Brandon Robinson scored his fifth try by picking up a loose ball and charging over in the middle. North Petherton scored again, then Weston rounded off a superb team performance when they forced the opposition backwards in successive tackles and Ben Eades picked up and darted over in the corner, to win 65 – 30.
Longlevens 5 Malvern XV 11
A Malvern side selected from all three teams visited Longlevens for a Xmas break friendly and were subjected to a display of refereeing so inept that the travelling faithful were convinced it had been scripted by an amateur pantomime writer. From the outset the hapless official made wrong decisions, calling line out throws not straight, ignoring blatant forward passes by the home side and missing many basic elements of the game. The Malvern side started with confidence, working the ball well and probing the home defence until a beautifully judged cross field kick put Will Clee in a t the corner for a fine try. The visitors continued to dominate most of the first half in the face of a spirited Longlevens defence, but were frustrated time and again by the myopic official, who frustrated a certain try-scoring move by blowing for a non-existent forward pass. The result was that a far superior Malvern side changed ends with only the single score to show for their efforts.
As the second half progressed and the gloom darkened, things got even worse for both sides, but mainly Malvern, as the official continued to make error after error. He capped his slapstick performance by getting himself trapped in a ruck – the wonder was that he didn’t penalise himself for entering at the side. It was a credit to both sides that they continued to try and play rugby in the face of such gross mismanagement, and that tempers were kept under control as frustration built. The decision making reached farcical proportions when Christian Edwards was sin-binned for an offence that occurred several yards away from him, leading to calls of “Oh no he didn’t” from the Malvern support. Adam Dixon sealed the result with two penalties, whilst the home side pulled back a late try after a penalty given for an offence which doesn’t appear in the Laws of the game.
Malvern’s Director of Rugby, David Robins, was frustrated by the outcome. “With few opportunities to look at some of our emerging players, I was looking forward to seeing some of them in action in this game. Unfortunately the shambles caused by such poor control of play meant that nobody was able to reach anything approaching a normal standard of rugby. Even one of our members, a qualified referee himself, could not believe what was happening on the field, which at times descended to the level of farce. However, we must put this behind us and focus on our league campaigns, in which our first and second XVs are both heading their respective leagues.”
Malvern first team entertain Lichfield at Spring Lane this Saturday, kicking off at 2.15p.m., hoping to go one better than the away fixture, which ended all square at 3-3 as defences ruled the day. “It’s a crucial month” said Robins “with the Lichfield fixture and then Hereford away a fortnight later, punctuated by an away North Midlands Cup tie at Bromsgrove. We need to shake of the post-Christmas torpor and put in some great performances if we are to cement our position at the top of the league.”
On a cold, sunny afternoon Garstang and Bay Horse dealt up a typically competitive game as they contested the Jason Bamber Memorial Trophy.
Such was the desire to get the match played that both teams agreed to go ahead with the game despite the fact that
the pitch was frozen solid and the referee did not turn up! Neil Leeming kindly volunteered to referee the game and, after a frantic search for a whistle and some kit, he got the game underway.
The large crowd in attendance were soon wincing as the players were knocking each other backwards with some ferocious defensive work. However, it did not take Bay Horse long to get on the scoreboard when they scored the first try of the day. Horse put Garstang under pressure and were awarded a penalty on the line, Rob Parkinson took a quick tap and squeezed his way over the line. Regular Garstang player Mark Gorst, playing for the opposition, took the penalty but pulled it wide (0-5).
Garstang were missing several of their regular forward pack but they were bolstered by the guest appearance of club legend, Lee Acton. After half a season at Vale of Lune he was keen to show how he had developed and he was having a fascinating duel with Rob Parkinson.
Elsewhere in the forwards veterans Bert Cross, Andy peach and Adrian Bosson were rolling back the
years with performances which defied their combined age of over 130!!
Having said all of this Bay Horse were enjoying territorial dominance and Garstang had to rely on some enterprising work in the backs, notably from Paul Brown and Simon Knox. The team were hit with further disruption when Andy Blackley had to leave the field with a hamstring injury.
With the half drawing to a close Garstang got a penalty under the posts which Tommy Armer slotted over to close the gap (3-5).
At half-time Bay Horse made a flurry of changes and Garstang lost Lee Acton who had to go to and attend a prior engagement, he was replaced by Dave Miller.
The second half followed the pattern of the first with defences on top of the game. Bay Horse had the best chance towards the end of the game when Rob Parkinson thought he had touched down. However, the referee deemed that he had been held up and awarded no-try.
In keeping the player out Garstang suffered a double injury blow with Paul Brown and Eddy getting injured. They were replaced by Simon Whittingham and Roddy Bettaney.
The final few minutes saw Garstang finally get out of their own half and into a position where they may be able to create a scoring chance. However, robust defence and poor execution meant that the chance was squandered and Bay Horse held out to scrape a deserved victory.
After the game Bay Horse were presented with the trophy by Sir Robert Atkins.
The match was sponsored by Allan’s Bobcat and the team used match balls sponsored by Hargreaves Garages who have provided Garstang with 25 match balls.
Garstang Rugby Club would like to thank the supporters, sponsors, players, officials and catering/bar staff who made the afternoon such a success.
Garstang Team: Bone (Corless, 70), Cross, Everest, Acton (Miller, 40), Peach, Slater, Eddy (Bettaney, 75), A.Bosson, Brown (Whittingham, 75), Blackley (Armer, 20), Nickson, Knox, Emmott, Robinson, G.Lambert. Reps: Whittingham, Armer, Miller, Outram, Corless, Bettaney.
Bay Horse Squad: M.Sutcliffe, Cowey, N.Sutcliffe, R.Leeming, Greenwood, Parkinson, M.Leeming, Pye, Lathom, R. Wilson, Garnett, Gorst, Glennon, Smith, Brown, G.Wilson, Kenyon
Both sides were short of several players for this re-arranged Yorks 2 merit Table game. Leos were keen to avenge a defeat suffered at the hands of the visitors some 7 weeks previous.
It was Yarnbury who started the brightest with the forwards in particular gaining early ascendancy. Some excellent close quarter play offered several half chances but the last pass or a needless penalty allowed Leos to gain respite.
In fact on there first incursion into the visitors half, Leos took a 3 point lead when Yarnburys midfield were caught offside directly in front of the posts.
The match was being to form a pattern with Yarnbury keen to play a tight driving game and Leos looking to counter from deep.
It was Yarnbury who scored next, a driving maul saw seasonal debutant Alex Blackburn break away only to be stopped inches short. A sublime slip pass to Andy Cowley saw the scrum half scamper over.
10 mins later further good play saw the home side sucked in before swift hands allowed wing Rob McLeod to race over midway out. Joe Churnins conversion gave a half time lead of 12 – 3.
The second period saw Yarnbury strangely lose shape with several wrong options allowing the Leos back line to counter intelligently. The home Full Back in particular causing several problems.
A mix up from a kick through after 10 mins in the second half gave the home side the inspiration they needed when a loose ball was touched down for an unconverted try. A Joe Churnin Penalty gave Yarnbury a little more breathing space but when scrum half Andy Cowley was sin binned with 10 mins to go, it was backs to the wall time for the visitors.
Almost immediately Leos made the extra man count with a try some 5 metres to the side of the post. Fortunately the easy conversion was missed. A frantic final few minutes were played out in the Leos half as a relieved Yarnbury side managed to peg Leos in there own half.
This result leaves Yarnbury at the top of the table but they will need to return to a more fluent game if they are to carry all before them in the coming weeks.
Saturday’s fixture at Evesham Rugby Club really was a dour affair. The game was full of errors and at times ill tempered. But that just added to the drama of this closely fought local derby.
Pershore, the higher graded of the two clubs, started the stronger. They exposed a real weakness in the Evesham scrum, an area that the piddle park outfit dominated all afternoon. The lineout was a more even with both sides winning more of there own ball. Pershore winger Stefan Ellis went close a few times in the first half but it was Centre James Martin who had an opportunity to open the scoring after 30 minutes through a penalty. His kick fell short. Less than 5 minutes later Martin found himself in the sin bin after an altercation at a ruck. From the ensuing penalty Evesham attacked the Pershore line but after some heroic defending by Captain Alex Peel and flanker Mark Badgery the visitors were able to clear their lines and go into half time all level at 0-0.
Pershore started to show why they are in a higher league in the second half and played all of the rugby in the Evesham territory. Stefan Ellis opened the scoring on the hour mark after cutting a great angle inside his opposite winger. Martin missed with the conversion. Within a few minutes Evesham were in front. From a lineout the ball found its way to their centre who ran straight through a gap in the Pershore defence to score under the posts. The conversion was added to make the score 7-5. The visiting forwards then upped a couple of gears and started to take a stranglehold of the game. Strong running by Marcus Whyte & Luke Eversham meant that Pershore stayed on the front foot. After a knock on by the visitors near the Evesham line the home side were awarded a scrum. The front row of Eversham, Jameson Lane and Karl Evans managed to win the ball against the head. It found its way to Winger Andy Jenkinson to score in the corner. Robin Haines was unsuccessful with the kick. There was still more drama to come when Marcus Whyte was sin binned with a few minutes left after yet another flare up. But Pershore held out for a dramatic victory.
Pershore 2nds were a lot more comfortable at Evesham with a convincing 41-5 victory.
It was one of those days when everything Weston did worked. Against a gallant Gordano side that battled until the end it was for the most part one way traffic.
Weston scored after a couple of minutes when left wing George Wright burst up the wing before centre Michael Leahy passed to full back James Trott who dived over for the first of fifteen tries on the day. A chip and chase by scrum half Jack Conway was converted by fly half James Mackay and then inside centre Rob Baker sold a couple of dummies to go over for the third which was again converted. Mackay then threw a lovely pass to number eight Alex Babbington who ran a great line to score. A quick tap penalty by captain David Price led to a second for the ever alert
The second half saw some more scintillating fifteen man rugby from Weston. Another run by Wright led to blindside flanker Eddie Saunders feeding lock Ben Bloor who crashed over. Mackay then scored his own try before Baker intercepted again to race forty metres for another converted try. Bloor then stole a Gordano lineout to put Price over again Mackay converting. Wright then scored from a quick tap which was followed up by some great interplay between Mackay and Baker to put the excellent Babbington over. Mackay again converted. Right wing Karl Young then fielded a defensive kick and weaved his way back to the line for a fine try. Dillon then scored under the posts before Baker going for his hat trick was pulled back to give the referee no option but to give a penalty try which was again converted by the outstanding Mackay.
A great display by Weston which will stand them in good stead for the future.
Malvern 17
At 17-0 at half time Malvern were well ensconced in the driving seat, but when the second half began they looked too relaxed, and seemed to have lost some urgency. As
Director of Rugby David
Kick off at Peel Croft on Saturday is
Aiiiiyeee it is true - the boys did well.
On Sunday last Malvern Vets entered the Luctonians Veterans Tournament for over 35’s. Players included the great names of Lancett
included Bromyard, Malvern
Malvern started against Luctonians with the first of a number of fine tosses electing to play with the elements of snow and driving rain. Quick recycling from the forwards allowed the backs to move the ball wide to the speed man Fahey to cross the line using his bulk for his first try of the day. As expected, Longley slotted the conversion from the touch line so to rub salt into the wounds of the Luc’s Vets. This play would be the trend of the day
Captain Gareth Richards collected the cup and thanked the organiser, Luctonians’ Simon Green-Price for his ideas of future hair styling and for a great afternoon on a cold snowy day, with all rugby being played in the mud in the true spirit of the Rugby Football Union.
Richards added ‘ The old boys once again performed well on the day
Other fine games were had by
The next Vets game will be home on the 22nd Dec 2007 v Bromyard.
Finally……..Spanker has approached the 1st XV Capt Ryan Watkins with an offer for the transfer of Shaun Lancett for continued services with the Vets.. …..in what appears to be an unusual move
