Match Report - 18th Feb 2017

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager

Match Report - 18th Feb 2017

Worcester Wanders 22 pts v Sutton Coldfield 16 pts

Midlands 1 West

Just as things seemed to be going well for Sutton with a good run of form and a series of impressive results lifting the team into a reassuring mid-table position after an indifferent start to the season... along comes another banana skin last weekend when 7th placed Sutton slipped to defeat against 11th placed Worcester Wanderers, who showed their determination to put distance between themselves and the relegation zone (which takes down teams placed 12, 13 and 14) and this they achieved with a deserved 22-16 victory over a lack lustre Sutton team who just could not get their game plan going.

However, Sutton did rally in the closing stages to recover from 22-9 down early in the second half to score a well worked converted try 13 minutes from the close to secure another valuable losing bonus point, which means that Sutton drop from 7th place to 8th with Worcester rising from 11th to 9th place in a very tight mid-table contest.

Worcester kicked off in dry conditions on a soft but firm playing surface with a slight breeze blowing down the pitch in Sutton's favour in the first half and it was the home side who applied the early pressure pinning Sutton in their own half, as the Worcestershire side showed their determination to escape the relegation zone, with their two wingers and fullback proving to be a very effective back three as they launched numerous penetrating counterattacks whenever Sutton tried to clear their lines and for the first 20 minutes of the game play was continually returned to the Sutton half with Sutton under sustained pressure and unable to break the stranglehold.

However, 22 minutes into the game Sutton did break free to mount an attack in the Worcester half leading to a penalty for a high tackle in midfield 35 metre out and centre Alex White slotted the kick to give Sutton a 3-0 lead and they appeared to have weathered the storm...but three minutes later, another poor clearance by Sutton from just outside their 22 went straight to the Worcester fullback Paul Burton, who took the ball on his own 10 metre line in midfield and headed off at speed heading right before chipping over the heads of the Sutton defenders and a kind bounce saw the ball bounce over the head of the covering Sutton defender and into the hands of the flying fullback, who crossed for a try to the right of the posts.

Fly half Tom Biggs converted the try to give the home side a 7-3 lead with 25 minutes played and Sutton set about the task of playing their way back into the game but unfortunately after some excellent lineout play in recent games and at the start of this game, unfortunately at this crucial point the Sutton lineout malfunctioned on two occasions denying further progress but Sutton pressed on to win a second penalty in midfield, which was advanced 10 metres for backchat from a Worcester player and from 25 metres Alex White kicked his second penalty to close to 7-6 with 30 minutes played.

With half time approaching the game ebbed and flowed with neither side dominating the play but the Wanderers stretched their lead to 10-6 when awarded a penalty for side entry at a breakdown in the Sutton 22 on 36 minutes and Tom Biggs slotted home the kick. This action was followed quickly by a try for winger Dave Serafina, who completed the run to the try line when another breakout by the Wanderers back three ran the ball down the left wing before finishing close to the posts.

The conversion was missed but with 2 minutes to play to the break the home side held a 15-6 before the battling Sutton side won another penalty for a high tackle just outside the Worcester 22 and with the last kick of the first half Alex White claimed the three points on offer to close the half at 15-9.

Sutton were slow to get into their stride at the start of the second half and handed the initiative back to their opponents who built up a series of attack starting when Sutton lost the ball in the Worcester half and the ball was carried at pace down the left wing before cutting infield where the packs were involved in a scramble on the try line and Worcester no8 Chris Griffiths forced his way over for a try by the posts.

Tom Biggs added the simple conversion to extend the Worcester lead to 22-9 with 12 minutes of the second half played.

Facing the increased deficit, to their credit Sutton rallied and picked up their game but credit also to Worcester, who restricted the Sutton speedsters the space and freedom to run that their own pace men enjoyed and so the Sutton chances were limited. However, unforced errors and dropped balls plagued the Sutton fight back but on 24 minutes the build-up of Sutton pressure led to a yellow card, sending a Worcester prop to the sin bin for unlawfully preventing Sutton making progress and when play resumed Sutton attacked from the infringement in the Worcester 22 but whilst Sutton drove over the try line the ball was judged to have been held up and Sutton were awarded a 5 metre scrum on their right wing.

As permitted, for the ensuing 5 metre scrum Worcester took off a player and brought on a replacement prop to replace the one in the bin but Sutton got the nudge-on at the scrum before releasing the ball to the backs moving infield from right to left, with scrum-half Tom Harris passing to fly-half Ben Morgan, who delivered a short pass to centre Alex White, allowing the powerful centre to crash through the last ditch defenders to score under the posts. The player/coach converted his own try to bring Sutton back to within 6 points at 22-16 with 13 minutes left to play.

With time running out and with victory in reach Sutton stepped up their game but they were thwarted by a series of events that counted against them and in the end with Sutton in a strong attacking position, a harsh not straight call at a Sutton 5 metre lineout was compounded by a 10 metre penalty for decent, when the referee's call was questioned allowing Worcester to regain possession and clear the ball down field taking Sutton away from the try scoring position they had worked so hard to achieve.

In the closing minutes Sutton continued to press but finally the visitors had to settle for a losing bonus point and damage limitation, in the disappointing 22-16 defeat.

Sutton have a break from league rugby this weekend and they return to action with a home game against Whitchurch on Saturday 4th March.

Whitchurch are currently sitting in the relegation zone in 12th place and like Worcester last week they will be highly motivated to rise out of this perilous position...so this will be another big challenge for the Sutton club but one they are capable of meeting if they return to their recent good form.

All support welcome for what should be another compelling contest at the RSG. KO 3:00pm.

Sutton Development Side:

Worcester Wanderers 25 pts v Sutton Coldfield 45 pts.

Once again it was the Sutton second string, under the leadership of Senior Club coach Joe Gavin, who kept the Sutton flag flying with a 45-25 victory over strong opponents away to a Worcester Wanderers 2nd XV. In a superb second half Sutton scored some spectacular tries to take the score on from 19-20 to register the convincing 45-25 victory.