Match report - 23rd Sept 2017.

Picture:SCRFC win good lineout ball via high flying 2nd row Peter Meachin.

David Daniels

Sutton's disappointing start to the new season suffered another blow last weekend when Sutton gave a warm welcome to league newcomers Lutterworth RFC to the Walmley Road ground but the admirable newcomers, who transferred from Midlands 1 East this season, inflicted a 50-23 defeat on a Sutton side struggling to find consistent form and a settled side, with late injuries striking again to deny Sutton the services of inspirational skipper and mainstay of the Sutton scrum Sean Harrison, who injured his knee whilst training on Thursday and failed a fitness test before the start of the game. Luke Hennessy stepped in off the bench to fill the front row vacancy with prop Tom Morahan coming onto the bench as cover at short notice and George Ord playing at no8 again, took over the captaincy.

The 50 point scoreline appears to reflect badly on the Sutton performance but the score does not always tell the whole story as in a highly entertaining contest, Sutton had a good first half against a very good opposition and were leading 13-12 going into the last two minutes of the first half. However, in the time left the visitors scored two rapid breakaway tries under the Sutton posts, both converted to leave Sutton trailing 26-13 at the break... but Sutton came back at the start of the second half with an excellent try out wide to close to 26-18, with just two minutes played. For the next 30 minutes the game was evenly matched with Lutterworth stretching ahead to 31-18 with a try after 50 minutes play but Sutton recovered to 31-23 with a try of their own on 60 minutes and the 8 point difference remained until in the final 6 minutes of the closely fought contest, the well supported visitors raced in for 3 more tries, 2 of which were converted to push Sutton down to 12th place in the league and into the relegation zone.

In summary; the game started to swing away from Sutton in the last minutes of the first half, when all the good work that had gone before was undone when Sutton conceded two converted tries in as many minutes to give Lutterworth a strong halftime lead and then the spirited recovery by Sutton in the second half unravelled in the final 6 minutes of play when the visitors ran riot to reach the 50 point mark by running in 3 tries plus 2 conversions. So although out scrummed by a bigger pack, Sutton were very much in contention for 72 minutes of the game but the home side were punished severely in those two fateful periods of play covering just 8 minutes when the visitors scored 5 tries and 4 conversions to leave Sutton trailing 50-23 at the end.

To tell the story of the game in more detail; Sutton kicked off in perfect playing conditions with the late summer sunshine also making the conditions perfect for the spectators and the Roger Smoldon Ground looked a picture. From the outset the large Lutterworth pack demonstrated their power in the scrums putting Sutton under immediate pressure in the set piece play. Sutton concentrated on holding their own but obviously it was going to be a challenging afternoon. To their credit Sutton stuck to their task in the early exchanges but having defended well against the initial onslaught from the visitors in the set play and with the ball in hand the Sutton defence was finally breached when Lutterworth were awarded a scrum just 5 meters from the Sutton try line and second row Josh Connor, picked up and broke close to the scrum to claim the opening try to the right of the posts. The conversion attempt drifted wide but Lutterworth held a 5-0 lead after 5 minutes of play.

Sutton responded well to the score against them and a period of positive play followed with Sutton on the offensive. The positive play led to a penalty chance on the visitors 22 but unfortunately the kick rebounded off the upright and Lutterworth were able to clear. Again Sutton pressed on in the visitors 22 but unfortunately under pressure Sutton lost the ball at an attacking lineout and then the ball was stolen in an attacking scrum for another missed chance. Finally Sutton won good scrum ball on the 5 metre line but again they were frustrated to be denied the try for a knock-on when grounding the ball over the try line.

Showing great determination in spite of their frustrations Sutton's efforts were finally rewarded when fullback Miles Gregory raced over in the left corner before tracking back infield to ground the ball to the left of the posts to make for an easier conversion by fly half Ben Morgan, who duly obliged to give Sutton a 7-5 lead after 21 minutes of play. In the build up to the try Sutton won a lineout on the halfway line and supporting the knockback second row stalwart Dean Harper first secured the ball before releasing it to scrum half Ollie Green, who set the backs running sweeping from right to left across the field. With good passing the ball reached fullback Miles Gregory, who swept outside the defenders before cutting back in field to score an excellent try.

Encouraged by the score and taking the lead, Sutton pressed on winning a penalty in midfield 42 metres from goal and Ben Morgan stepped forward to land the kick extending Sutton's lead to 10-5 with 10 minutes to play to the break.

Again Sutton were in the ascendancy and from the restart prop Luke Hennessy, on from the start for the injured Sean Harrison, took the ball forward on an impressive rampaging run over the halfway line deep into Lutterworth territory but unfortunately he lost his support and the promising attack brokedown when the ball was lost in contact. Keen for every chance Lutterworth set up a counteract and it took a try saving tackle by fullback Miles Gregory in his own 22 to prevent a further score by the visitors but the play continued close to the Sutton try line and although Lutterworth forced their way over the line the ball was judged to have been held up and a 5 metre attacking scrum was awarded.

Again, as for their first try Josh Connor peeled off the secure 5 metre scrum to claim his second try to the left of the posts and the second row/no8 showed his versatility by converting his own try to recover the lead for Lutterworth at 12-10 with 5 mimiutes to go to the break...but minutes later Ben Morgan kicked his second penalty this time from 35 metres to the right of the posts to give Sutton a 13-12 lead going into the last 2 minutes of play according to the referee at the restart.

Unfortunately for Sutton, Lutterworth used the final 2 minutes to devastating effect when from the restart Lutterworth broke wide to the right sweeping outside the Sutton defenders sending centre Ollie Jempson racing in under the posts and then again following the restart Lutterworth took play back into the Sutton 22 and a quick break to the right allowed no8 George Turner to race in under the posts. Josh Connor added both conversions to leave Sutton trailing 26-13 at the break.

Lutterworth started the second half but it was Sutton who started the brightest with left wing Tom Burrows securing a loose ball on his 10 metre line and he sent it into midfield with good hands propelling the ball from left to right for Christopher Duckworth to take the ball on and crash over for an excellent try on the right wing.

The difficult conversion drifted wide but at 18-26 Sutton were back in the game with everything to play for with just 2 minutes of the second half played. The next 30 minutes saw Lutterworth extend their lead to 31-18 with a try by open side flanker and captain Joe Sullivan after 10 minutes only for Sutton to claw back to 31-23 with their third try scored by Chris (Ducky) Duckworth, who completed his brace of tries by forcing his way over the try line from close range, this time close to the left corner flag, mid way through the second half.

With 20 minutes to play and 8 points between the sides, Lutterworth lifted their game in the final period and their heavier pack started to take its toll on the Sutton effort but Sutton stuck to their task and held out making the most of what they had. However, in the final 6 minutes the visitors ran in a trio of tries. The first came from no8 George Turner, who scored his second try of the day after good approach work took play into the left corner, then skipper Joe Sullivan took a quick tap penalty from 5 metres out catching Sutton unprepared before scrum half Charlie Neal completed the try fest with a solo run from the base of a scrum 10 metres out to score in the left corner. Josh Connor converted the last two tries, with the final conversion from the touchline a worthy kick to reach the magic 50 mark...so well done Josh Connor, captain Joe Sullivan and the Lutterworth players, officials and supporters.

It was a pleasure to welcome the well supported Lutterworth RFC to the RSG, Walmley Road and the two coaches carrying their players and supporters testifies to the support they enjoy. We enjoyed the game if not the result and look forward to the return fixture at Lutterworth on 13th Jan 2018. The game and venue may remind the Sutton previous players and supporters of the EDF Cup game we played there in Round 5 on 12th Dec 2008, when Sutton advanced to the semi-finals, one game away from Twickenham, with a 19-12 victory, before being soundly beaten by the outstanding Hartpury College RFC, who went on to win the final at Twickenham.

This weekend Sutton travel to Melbourne RFC for what could be a season defining game with both clubs struggling to find their winning form after a difficult start to the season. Sutton have shown enough in the games so far to know they can do this. KO 3pm.