1st XV Match report - 11th Feb 2023

David Daniels 1st XV Manager

Match report - 11th Feb 2023

Sutton Coldfield 38pts v Newark RFC 59pts

Regional 2 North Midlands

Last weekend Sutton 1st XV joined the growing list of top teams who have fallen to a resurgent Newark outfit that has picked up its form since defeating Sutton 27-22 in a close contest on the 5th November 2022. In the last three weeks Newark have defeated Long Eaton, 21-55 away, then Oadby, 56-54 at home and last weekend they defeated Sutton 38-59 in the away fixture at Sutton, rising from 9th in the table at the end of Jan, to 7th and now 6th in an impressive run. In spite of the loss Sutton remain 3rd in the table.

The resurgent Newark team has a powerful pack, with confident free running backs and they are a well drilled outfit, who know how to use their strengths, and although the spirited Sutton side held them to 12-19 at the break, then drew level at 19-19, 4 minutes into the second half, Sutton started to suffer a run of injuries that unbalanced their game; with first hooker Dean Ginn having to retire from the game with a damaged shoulder on 10 minutes and then midway through the second half replacement prop Taboka Habvane took a heavy knock making a tackle on the Sutton try line and had to leave the field. With no more Sutton front row replacements available the referee agreed that the game had to go to uncontested scrums for the final 20 minutes meaning that Sutton had to drop a man and play with 14 men for the remaining quarter of the game and Sutton's problems did not end there because further injuries meant that Sutton were reduced to 13 men for the last 10 minutes of the game due to further injuries and no more replacements...but the depleted Sutton side continued to fight to the end of a punishing contest scoring 6 tries + 4 conversions against their opponents 9 tries + 7 conversions, contributing hugely to an entertaining hard fought contest - well done to both teams but especially the Sutton side, who were up against it in the second half.

Newark had kicked off in dry, cool conditions perfect for the running game and the ball moved from end to end in the opening 10 minutes as the teams settled to their task but 12 minutes into the contest Newark made the breakthought when 2nd row Will Ellison made the decisive break in the Sutton 22 to score to the right of the posts for winger Alex Scott to slot the conversion to give the visitors a 7-0 lead. However, the hosts came right back into the game with enterprising play and midway through the first half Sutton picked up a loose ball and 2nd row Ollie Gregory led the charge for the Newark tryline but as the drive stopped short of the line the ball was slipped to flanker Keiran Henderson, who drove over for the try. Sutton fullback Matt Smith added the conversion to level the scores at 7-7, with 20 minutes to play to the break.

In the ensuing play Sutton came under pressure at the scrum but just about held their own and competed well at the breakdown, however, as half time approached the visitors struck twice through no 8 James Brogden, first 30 minutes into the game the no 8 exploited an overlap to score an unconverted try to the far right of the posts to extend the lead to 12-7, then 5 minutes later he touched down a pushover try from a set scrum under the Sutton posts for Alex Scott to convert taking the visitors to 19-7 with 5 minutes to play to the break. Sutton used the remaining time well as the Sutton pack applied pressure in right corner close to the line but then the ball was swung right to left across the Newark 22, with Sutton right wing Miles Gregory joining the line wide out he injected pace and fed left wing Will Mitchell, who powered past the lone defender to score a well executed try in the left corner on the stroke of half time.

Unfortunately, the difficult conversion drifted wide but Sutton had closed to 12-19 at the break and were very much in the game, even more so 4 minutes into the second half when a Newark clearance failed to find touch and Sutton gathered the ball, fed winger Miles Gregory, who raced 40 metres down the touch line to score a spectacular try, which fullback Matt Smith calmly converted to level the score at 19-19, with things looking up for Sutton against stiff opposition.

Unfortunately, Sutton's good fortune evaporated at this point in the game, to be replaced by miss-fortune with the injury to key front row player hooker Dean Ginn, who is crucial to Sutton in the scrums, lineouts and open play but a painful shoulder injury ended his game 10 minutes after the break and the visitors took full advantage taking back the lead at 26-19, when replacement back Aloesi Waqalevu raced in for a bonus point try to the right of the posts and Alex Scott added the conversion 15 minutes into the second half and then minutes later Newark's captain and outside centre Will Britten found an overlap on the wide right and raced over the line moving infield to give Alex Scott an easier kick and Newark a 33-19 lead but again Sutton responded well to the latest setback and following the restart a break by fullback Matt Smith took play through the midfield then moving left the gifted fullback linked with left wing Will Mitchell, who still had work to do but the powerful finisher made no mistake as he powered past would be defenders to score to the left of the posts for his second try of the day and Sutton's fourth and bonus point try. Having set up the try Matt Smith finished the exercise by adding the conversion to bring Sutton back to within 7 points at 26-33 midway through the second period of play.

But just as Sutton had earned their right to stay in the contest miss-fortune struck again when replacement prop Taboka Habvane went to make a heavy tackle on the Sutton try line he sustained an injury and was unable to continue in the game. With Dean Ginn already off with an earlier shoulder injury, Sutton had only two fit front row players so Sutton had to concede to uncontested scrums, having to drop down to 14 men as a consequence for the 20 minutes remaining in the game.

As if Newark needed any extra advantage, following the restart inside centre Matt Walton charged to the Sutton try line scoring to the left of the posts and Alex Scott landed the conversion to extend the Newark lead to 40-26 before Newark scrumhalf James Tarbatt spotted a gap and made a weaving run to score under the posts giving Alex Scott an easy conversion extending the lead to 47-26 before following the restart, quick thinking Sutton fullback Matt Smith took a quick tap penalty on the edge of the Newark 22 scoring an excellent solo try but unfortunately his conversion attempt hit the upright and bounced clear and the score remained at 31-47, such was Suttons day, with 9 minutes left to play.

With time running out, outside centre & Newark captain Will Britten went in for his second try of the day converted by Alex Scott to lift the score to 54-31, then replacement back Aloesi Waqalevu scored his second try wide on the left, which went unconverted, for 59-31 but brave Sutton had the final word when flyhalf & vice captain Laurie Harries made a decisive break in the Newark 22 to send Sutton's inside centre Ben Morgan racing in for an excellent consolation try by the posts and for expediency to get back into the game the conversion was scored by a drop goal, with the game ending shortly after the restart the final score was 59-38, and all credit to Sutton for staying in the game right through to the end, in spite of the injuries and setbacks on a testing day.

This weekend Sutton welcome old rivals and good friends from Silhillians RFC, for the return leg of this season's fixtures and with the away leg in Nov 2022 a close-run contest with Sutton edging the result 35-34, this weekend's game should be a good test to see how both teams have progressed through the season. An entertaining contest awaits, not to be missed. KO 2.15 pm.

All supporters will receive a warm welcome on the touchline and in the bar afterwards.