Match report - 4th March 2017

Picture shows:
The Sutton players gather round Nathan Burchell (holding ball) to celebrate the bonus point try the winger had just scored to complete an excellent victory.

From left to right the Sutton players are; player/coach Alex White (12), skipper Jack Woodcock, fullback Miles Gregory (15), try scorer Nathan Burchell (11), flanker Rhoss Price and centre Luke Stewart.

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager

Match report - 4th March 2017

Sutton Coldfield 33 pts v Whitchurch RFC 3 pts

Midlands 1 West.

Last weekend presented another challenging contest for Sutton and another potential banana skin for the home side when struggling Whitchurch were the visitors to the RSG but after a patchy first half Sutton held a comfortable 16-0 lead at the break, with a penalty, a converted try and two late penalties and then after weathering a determined fight back by the visitors at the start of the second half Sutton stayed strong and produced glimpses of their 'A' game scoring 3 more tries to overturn a 29-0 defeat in the away fixture and register a deserved 33-3 bonus point victory in the return fixture.

Sutton kicked off in dry conditions with a soft but firm pitch underfoot and the threat of rain during the game, which came in the form of a heavy shower at the end of the first half. There was also a variable breeze blowing down the field in Sutton's favour during the first 40 minutes but the wind did not appear to have a major influence on the game with Sutton making a good start as they dominated the scrums from the outset and the home side controlled the line outs with hooker Conor Thorneycroft finding his jumpers with confidence, while his opposite number and the Whitchurch forwards struggled to match the Sutton accuracy.

Enjoying good possession Sutton dominated the early exchanges but basic errors and penalties due to over enthusiastic play in the Whitchurch 22 cost Sutton field position and handed possession back to the visitors, who counter attacked to take play back into the Sutton half whenever the opportunity presented itself. However, Sutton defended well and kept the pressure on the visitors in their own half leading to a penalty opportunity for Sutton when under pressure Whitchurch were penalised at a breakdown in mid-field just outside their 22 and fly half Ben Morgan stepped forward, taking over the kicking duties from player/coach Alex White, who was playing but protecting a slight twinge to his hamstring.

The fly half duly guided the penalty kick between the posts to give Sutton a deserved 3-0 lead 15 minutes into the game.

During the next sequence of play Sutton continued to dominate the play and the territory leading to an excellent try for left wing Jack Braniff, who came off his wing to support a typically dynamic break by Sutton full back Tom McNamee, who joined the back line taking possession in his own half and he raced down the right wing into the Whitchurch 22 brushing aside would be tacklers before off-loading with an inside pass to the supporting wing, who came across from the left wing and raced over for a try to the right of the posts.

Ben Morgan added the conversion to extend the Sutton lead to 10-0 after 32 minutes of play and then minutes later he added a second penalty, when Whitchurch were penalised in their 22 following the restart to take the Sutton lead to 13-0 with 8 minutes to play to the break. The half ended shortly after a third penalty for the Sutton fly half, when Whitchurch conceded another infringement in mid-field and Ben Morgan stroked the ball between the posts from 35 metres to give Sutton a 16-0 lead at the interval.

Whitchurch started the second half at a rush and following up from their restart kick they pinned Sutton back in their own half with 10 minutes of sustained pressure in the Sutton 22 but Sutton defended well and withstood successive scrums and lineouts close to their try line in the right corner of the Sutton 22... but such was Sutton's last ditch defence that Whitchurch were denied the try they strived for and in the end the visitors settled for a penalty kick when Sutton were caught offside in front of their posts and Whitchurch full back Robbie Leighton kicked the points to close to 16-3 with 15 minutes of the second half played.

From that point on the game swung in Sutton's favour, when straight from the restart Sutton raised their game and for the next 15 minutes Whitchurch found themselves under relentless pressure in their own half. 10 minutes before the end of the game the sustained Sutton pressure gained its reward when Sutton drove a 5 metre scrum towards the Whitchurch try line before no8 and skipper Jack Woodcock, picked up at the base of the scrum, spun off and drove down the blind side for a well worked try in the corner.

The difficult conversion drifted wide but Sutton had extended their lead to a convincing 21-3 with a second try and then following the restart Sutton regained possession driving play back into the Whitchurch half with a powerful run by prop Chris Hanley taking play into the visitors 22. Drifting right the agile prop fed centre Alex White who powered over the line to score in the right corner to take the Sutton lead to 26-3 before with the last play of the game winger Nathan Burchell applied the coup-de-grace, gaining a valuable try scoring bonus point as he crossed for Sutton's fourth try of the day. In the build-up to the all-important try Sutton won a scrum on the left in the opposition 22 and the ball was quickly swung right through the hands of scrum half Tom Harris, fly half Ben Morgan and centre Alex White, who made a half break to create space on the right wing before slipping the ball to the elusive winger, who crossed in the right corner and raced round under the posts to make for an easier conversion of an outstanding try by the Sutton backs. Fly half Ben Morgan duly obliged with the simple conversion to complete the final score line of 33-3.

The valued victory is notable for returning Sutton to a respectable mid-table position i.e. 7th in a league of 14 teams with 5 games to play to the end of the season and a record of 5 wins and 3 loses in the second half of the season show that Sutton are back on the right track, under the new coaching set-up of Alex White (backs coach) and Alan Keylock (forwards coach), after only 4 wins and 9 losses in the first half of a challenging transitional season.

The game was also notable as player/coach Alex White scored his 50th try for the club over his long 1st XV playing career with Sutton. Also special mention should be made of try scorer Jack Braniff, who returned to play for Sutton this season after playing at mini & junior level in his youth and Jack made his debut for the Sutton 1st XV in season 2007/8 scoring a brace of tries for Sutton in a 64-0 win over Stourbridge Lions on 1st March 2008. After many years away studying and working Jack has now returned to Sutton and although he is not available every week Jack is proving to be a great and versatile asset to the 1st XV team cause.

A talented second row or back row player by choice like his father and uncle before him, (the iconic Braniff brothers)... on his return to Sutton this season Jack naturally started the season in the back row but when asked the skilled player has also played many games with distinction at centre and last weekend he made his debut on the wing scoring a splendid try to continue his family tradition of serving Sutton to the best of his ability, wherever needed. Well done Jack!

This weekend Sutton travel to Wolverhampton RFC, who currently sit 10th in the league, seeking to continue their winning form against their old rivals, who Sutton have not met for a number of seasons having been kept apart by their respective leagues but it will be a pleasure to return to the Castlecroft Ground to continue a long history of friendly rivalry. KO 3 pm.

Sutton other team results:

The Sutton Development side and Sutton 3rd XV respectively had no games scheduled for last weekend and will be eager to take the field next weekend.