Match report - 7th Jan 2017

David Daniels

SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager.

Match report - 7th Jan 2017

Kenilworth RFC 18 pts v Sutton Coldfield 39 pts

Midlands 1 West

In their first game of 2017 Sutton achieved a landmark victory with an impressive 39-18 win over bottom placed club Kenilworth to record their first back to back bonus point victories following the convincing 24-5 victory over Hereford in the last game of 2016, which was also the first game of the return leg of fixtures, so Sutton have now won the first two games of the second half of the season and could be on a roll. The last time Sutton achieved back to back bonus point wins was March 2014 with home wins over South Leicester and Syston respectively in National league 3 Midlands. In spite of the lowly league position held by their opponents last weekend, the manner of the Sutton victory in outscoring their opposition by 6 tries and 3 conversions plus a penalty to 6 penalties, gives great hope for a revival in Sutton's fortunes from now to the end of the season.

Apart from the much needed win, which lifts Sutton out of the relegation zone taking them from 12th to 9th place in a league of 14 teams, with 11 games remaining to the end of the season, the game was also a landmark for Sutton's outstanding back Nathan Burchell, who celebrated scoring his 150th try for Sutton's 1st XV.

Nathan started his try scoring marathon at the age of 19 on the 22nd Oct 2005 playing against Ludlow in a Midlands 3 West/North home victory, as Sutton started to progress through the league tables with the ace finisher featuring in Sutton's most successful period as they rose through the leagues to reach the National leagues in 2012... and in complete contrast 22 year old winger Joe Gregory, at the start of his Sutton career, scored his first try for the Sutton 1st XV in the win over Kenilworth and hopefully the talented young winger will emulate the success of his role model in the years to come.

As to the game itself, Sutton kicked off in dry conditions on a soft ground but with a firm footing ideal for a running game. Following up the kick off Sutton put the home side under pressure in their own 22 and the sustained Sutton pressure forced a penalty at a breakdown allowing centre Alex White to give Sutton a deserved 3-0 lead after just 3 minutes of play but straight from the restart Sutton were penalised as they tried to counterattack from within their own half and the Kenilworth fullback Josh Hickman stepped forward to prove his kicking prowess as he landed the first of his 6 penalties with a superb 45 metre kick from the right touch line to level the score at 3 all with 5 minutes played.

Disappointed by losing the lead so quickly, Sutton settled to their task and they started to dominate the scrums winning good possession across the field and after losing their first lineout, hooker Jeff Large adjusted his radar and the Sutton lineout went well thereafter with the hooker proving to be key player in the scrums, lineouts and in the open play from where he made numerous breaks setting up great attacking positions for the Sutton side to exploit.

With their increasing dominance Sutton set up a scrum on the Kenilworth 22 metre line in midfield. Sutton won the ball cleanly and keeping the ball in the forwards the pack drove forward towards the opposition try line forcing the opposing pack to splinter and Sutton's skipper & no8 Jack Woodcock crossed to the right of the posts for an excellent try celebrated by the magnificent Sutton pack. Alex White kicked the conversion to restore Sutton's lead to 10-3 with 15 minutes of the match played.

However, once again untidy play at the restart cost Sutton another penalty when the restart kick was knocked on and a Sutton player played the ball from an offside position allowing Josh Hickman to continue his goal kicking master class with a 35 metre kick, this time from the left touch line to bring the score back to 10-6 just 2 minutes after the Sutton score.

5 minutes later Sutton suffered a further setback with a yellow card for not releasing the player after the tackle and interfering with play to stop the opposition playing the ball. The visitors then conceded another penalty allowing Hickman to land a third penalty to close to 9-10 when Sutton were caught off side 30 metres from goal 24 minutes into the game. However, undaunted the energised 14 man Sutton side lifted their game creating a try for right wing Tom McNamee. The Sutton pack drove a rolling maul a full 40 metres towards the Kenilworth try line deep into the Kenilworth 22 before releasing the ball to the backs through scrum half Tom Harris and fly half Ben Morgan, who both had good steady games again providing excellent distribution to set the back division on strong attacking runs. On this occasion winger Tom McNamee came in off his wing running right to left and receiving the ball at pace the powerful player forced his way over the tryline to score to the left of the posts. Alex White added the conversion to extend the Sutton lead to 17-9 with 28 minutes played.

Unfortunately, just a few minutes later Sutton suffered yet another setback when the experienced and inspirational second row player Ben Bottomley, recently restored to 1st XV duties, had to leave the field with a leg injury but Sutton had an able replacement in the form of player/coach Alan Keylock, who came off the bench to add his energetic and experienced play to the Sutton cause with 10 minutes to run to the break.

Once again, the Sutton surge was disrupted by another infringement at the breakdown and Hickman was on target again with his 4th penalty to close to 12-17 with a well struck 40 metre penalty from the right wing and then the same player struck again with a 30 meter penalty this time from the left to close even closer at 15-17, when Sutton were penalised at another breakdown, with 8 minutes to play to the break...but Sutton responded positively with a superb first 1st XV try for newly promoted left wing Joe Gregory, who received a well judged long pass from Nathan Burchell after the fullback entered the attacking line at pace to draw the midfield defenders leaving the young winger one on one with his opposite number. The young winger kept his head as he feinted to go right to wrong foot the defender and then expertly squeezed into the left corner to extend the Sutton lead to 22-15 with just minutes to play to the break. It is worth noting that the young winger received the scoring pass for his first try from Sutton's top try scorer, who only needed one more to reach the magic 150 mark but generously, rather than try to make the line himself, he gave the pass to the young winger to start his 1st XV try count running. The fullbacks magic moment was to come later in the game!

With the game going into injury time at the break there was just enough time for Sutton to mount a driving maul following a 5 metre attacking lineout set up by a penalty kick accurately placed into the right corner following an infringement on the Kenilworth 10 metre line. Sutton won the lineout and drove to the try line with prop Sean Harrison (aka Norris) in possession as the Sutton pack crossed the try line for the all important bonus point try, giving Sutton a 27-15 lead at the interval.

Sutton started the second half with all their old sparkle to the fore as centre/player/coach Alex White gathered a long clearance kick deep in his own half. The centre made ground before passing to winger Tom McNamee, who chipped ahead and re-gathered the ball taking play to the edge of the Kenilworth 22 before passing the ball to his left and the attack was carried on up to the opposition try line where the pack took over and livewire flanker Alan Keylock made his mark on the game as he crossed for Sutton's 5th try of game to stretch the Sutton lead to 32-15, with just 5 minutes of the second half played.

Five minutes later the unstoppable Josh Hickman landed his 6th penalty when Sutton were caught offside in front of their own posts and the score closed to 32-18 but Sutton continued to press and although to their credit Kenilworth mounted a revival turning the pressure back on Sutton with some strong scrummaging and hard running by their industrious open side flanker Rajvir Bahey but it was Sutton who had the last word with a final try midway through the second half. Sutton's 6th try was scored by fullback Nathan Burchell and was his 150th try for the Sutton 1st XV in his illustrious 12 year first team career to date. In the build up to the momentous try Sutton won a penalty in midfield and kicked to touch for a lineout in the right corner. Securing the ball at the lineout Sutton drove for the line then swung the ball left into midfield and into the hands of fullback Nathan Burchell, who weaved his way to the line over a 10 metre run for his magical 150th try.

Alex White added the conversion to complete the scoring at 39-18 and Sutton saw out the final 20 minutes as Kenilworth fought bravely to salvage something from a lost cause but Sutton stayed strong to secure a morale boosting win ahead of this weekends Friday night evening game against a variable Moseley Oak team, who currently sit 6th in the league three places above Sutton. KO 7.45 pm.

The Friday night league fixture is the first game in an exciting weekend of rugby at the Roger Smoldon Memorial Ground, Walmley Road, with Leicester Tigers Academy Team playing the Bristol Academy on Saturday 14th Jan KO 12.30 and then on Sunday North Warwickshire U17's host South Warwickshire U17's in the Warwickshire divisional championship. KO 2.00 pm. Entry to the ground is free for all the above games so fans and supporters can sample and enjoy the facilities at the RSG for free, for one week only!!.

Sutton other team results:

Along with the Sutton 1st XV, the Sutton Development Side also started the new year on a winning note securing victory in a close fought 2nd XV contest away to a strong Walsall side with Danny Bancroft kicking a last minute penalty to record a memorable 21-23 win. The Sutton try scorers were Mark McEvoy, Jack Wells and Harry Moxon.