Match report - 24th March 2017

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV team manager

The photographs show try scorers fly half Ben Morgan left, who scored the final bonus point try and prop Sean Harrison, who scored Sutton's second try to start the try scoring rally in the closing stages of the game.

Last Friday evening after the testing first half of a hard fought contest against second place Bournville, Sutton found themselves trailing 19-7 at the break, for whilst playing well and scoring the opening try Sutton had enjoyed a majority of possession but they failed to take their chances whereas their experienced high flying opponents were clinical and used their possession well to claim three well worked tries and two conversions to leave Sutton facing a severe second half challenge... and the situation got worse at the start of the second half when Bournville scored a fourth try after just 3 minutes to extend their lead to 24-7 but Sutton responded well and their pressure paid off with a try to close to 12-24 with 15 minutes left to play setting up a dramatic finale to a keen contest and although the visitors kicked a penalty to stretch their lead to 27-12 Sutton stepped up their game to score 2 more tries in the closing period to secure 2 precious bonus points. The final fourth try earned a try scoring bonus point plus a losing bonus point in the final play of a dramatic game.

The result moved Bournville to the top of the table overnight but Newport returned to the top with a 5 point victory on Saturday with Bournville slipping back into second place but the two bonus points for Sutton lifted them into 7th place above Worcester Wanderers, who lost their game on Saturday. There are now 3 more games to play to the end of a challenging season as Sutton continue their rebuilding programme.

As to the finer details of the game itself, Sutton kicked off at 7.45 pm on a dry clear Friday evening with the impressive floodlights and pitch at the RSG, Walmley Road providing a superb backdrop to the game about to unfold before a large expectant crowd, who enjoyed an evening of great rugby and the traditional social rugby cohesion in the bar afterwards!

From the kick off Sutton applied early pressure and within 2 minutes they had won a kickable penalty as the pressure told on the visitors defence but unfortunately the 30 metre chanced drifted wide. However, undeterred Sutton kept up the pressure following the 22m restart as they regained the ball and a fine run by centre Luke Stewart took play up to the visitors try line in the right corner where the Sutton attack faltered short of the line but the ball was quickly recycled into midfield and fellow centre Alex White sent a low grubber kick through the tight Bournville defence bouncing towards the posts at which point Sutton's fullback Tom McNamee followed up at pace to beat the defenders to touchdown by the posts for the opening try.

Alex White added the conversion to give Sutton a promising 7-0 lead after just 5 minutes of play and Sutton were playing at pace and with confidence but unfortunately although Sutton continued to apply all the pressure over the next 20 minutes they were unable to convert the pressure into points and with limited possession it was Bournville who showed Sutton how to finish. A poor clearance by Sutton from their own 22 was fielded by Bournville with space to run and from within their own half they ran the ball back at pace down their left wing and into the Sutton 22 before an inside pass found flanker Chris Morgan, who completed the run to the try line for a try of clinical excellence albeit against the run of play. The try was converted by centre James Hussey to level the scores at 7-7 after 25 minutes of play.

Minutes later Bournville again demonstrated their rugby intellect as they drew Sutton infield to defend successive drives and attacking flurries before releasing their backs with the ball transferred quickly from left to right across the field providing an overlap, which allowed winger Warren Oliver to race in unopposed over the try line in the corner but he wisely continued his run to score under the posts making for an easier conversion and James Hussey duly obliged to extend the visitors lead to 14-7 with 30 minutes played.

With halftime rapidly approaching Sutton were playing well and still very much in the game with only a 7 point deficit but Bournville delivered a hammer blow on the stroke of halftime, when fly half Mitch McCann danced his way through the Sutton defence in the 22 to score a fine solo effort to the left of the posts.

The conversion was missed but Sutton turned round facing a deficit of 19-7, which within 3 minutes of the restart grew to 24-7 when a chip ahead by the visitors on their left wing bounced back towards the chasing Bournville players over the heads of the Sutton defenders in their 22 and into the hands of the Bournville winger, who raced towards the try line before passing inside to Ashley Knight, who was running in support and scored good try following a favourable bounce.

The score stretched the deficit to 24-7 but undaunted Sutton lifted their game and for the next 20 minutes or so they moved up a gear and eventually their efforts were rewarded when their erstwhile prop Sean Harrison drove over in the right corner for an unconverted try, which brought Sutton back to 12-24 with 15 minutes to play to the end of the running clock.

Unfortunately, a fumble at the restart by Sutton lost the momentum and the home side were penalised for being off-side in midfield in the ensuing play allowing Bournville's James Hussey to extend the lead again moving the score on to 27-12 with 12 minutes to play again on the running clock.

To their credit Sutton's fighting spirit came to the fore in this closing period and they mounted an attack led by player/coach Alex White who made a powerful 50 meter dash into the Bournville 22 before off loading to fullback Tom McNamee, who took the ball on at pace to score out wide to the right of the posts. With time rapidly running out Alex White did not wait for the kicking-tee but landed a magnificent drop goal conversion to close the score to 19-27, which was good but gave nothing to Sutton in the way of league points.

The game was restarted with Bournville attacking down the Sutton left wing and a long kick ahead by the visitors was rolling dangerously over the Sutton try line but thankfully Sutton's fly half Ben Morgan had the foresight and the pace to cover back and save a certain try in the dying minutes. The 22 restart was taken quickly and Sutton regained possession driving play back into the Bournville half and another telling break by Alex White took play up to the visitors 22, where the centre's charge was stopped illegally and Bournville were penalised in their own 22.

With no time left for a lineout Sutton took a quick tap penalty and a long miss pass found the try saving fly half Ben Morgan hovering on the right wing and a quick flurry saw the fly half dive over the try line in the right corner to score the all important fourth and final try for the battling Sutton team resulting in a final score line of 24-27 and two precious bonus points for Sutton.

Although Sutton played well for much of the game their finishing let them down in the first half but they were back at their best in the closing period showing great spirit and finishing skills to complete the game with credit for what was a good result in the end. It is worth noting that the game planned on for a full 18 minutes on the running clock, which this time worked in Sutton's favour allowing them to claim the 2 bonus points, whilst at Wolverhampton two weeks ago 13 minutes overtime cost them the game...but that's sport for you!!

This weekend Sutton travel to close neighbours and old rivals Burton RFC, who currently sit third in the league, for what should proved to be game of great intensity as Burton chase Bournville for a play-off spot and Sutton look to consolidate their mid table position and a respectable finish in the league table with just 3 games to play to the end of the season.

Sutton other team results - Match reports 25th March 2017:

Sutton Development Side;

The Sutton second string travelled to Camp Hill last Saturday but an out of sorts performance by Sutton and some soft tackling allowed the home side to secure victory by 33-30 in a very close game.

Sutton 3rd XV;

The Sutton 3rd XV put on a brave performance against a strong and formidable Bournville 2nd XV, which featured at least one player who had played for Bournville 1st XV against Sutton 1st XV at the RSG the night before and although, under the excellent leadership of skipper Steve Marshall, Sutton held their own at 7-12 in the first half the big Bournville side proved too much for Sutton's genuine 3rd XV in a testing second half with the visitors running out 45-12 winners at the end.