SCRFC match report(s) weekend 23rd/24th Nov 2019

Tom Harris, pictured above, played his 100th game for Sutton 1st XV last Saturday ending a very special week for the talented Sutton player, who earlier in the week had made his debut for the English Police Team at a game in Cardiff on Wednesday 20th Nov. 2019.

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager

Sutton Coldfield 12pts v Whitchurch RFC 30pts

Last Saturday should have been a day of celebration at the RSG with Sutton's Tom Harris making his successful debut for the English Police Team, which included a sharp debut try in a mid-week victory in Cardiff and then he returned to Sutton at the weekend to play his 100th game for Sutton 1st XV, having made his debut in the Warwickshire Cup Semi-Final on 26th Feb 2014, which Sutton won 64-9 against local rivals Spartans but the intention to celebrate Tom's achievements were quelled when Sutton had to field another much changed side after suffering the loss of 7 key players, following the destructive narrow defeat against Worcester the previous weekend.

The players lost to Sutton through events the previous week included two with broken bones in their hands, a neck injury, a twisted knee, concussion plus suspension for the red card, all summing up the misfortunes Sutton are striving to overcome this season but on the plus side livewire prop Liam Hills has returned to Sutton for the remainder of the season and this game saw the welcome return of Peter Meachin and Mike Burns to the back row plus Tom McNamee, who returned to add his running skills to the backline in the absence of Nathan Burchell, Liam White and Lewis Beaty, all of whom will be greatly missed as Sutton were just starting to show their true potential.

However, facing the facts as they are, the new look Sutton side looked good on paper but before they could settle into their new formation and partnerships, in the first minute of the game a high kick by the Whitchurch fly half from his own half dropped menacingly into the Sutton 22 but as the Sutton defender ran forward to take the catch the ball bounced off his chest straight into the arms of the onrushing Whitchurch winger Jonathan Towers, who gathered the ball and completed his run to the line unopposed to score the opening try to the right of the posts.

The conversion was missed but dauntingly the visitors took a 5-0 lead within the first minute rocking Sutton back on their heals and although Sutton responded positively and forced a long range penalty chance shortly after the restart it was Whitchurch who dominated the scoreboard leading up to midway through the first half with three more tries in quick succession to secure a 4 try bonus point. The first of this trio of tries was scored by left wing Abe Spragg, who raced 40 metres down the left wing having been put into space on the Sutton 10 metre line, for 10-0 after 9 minutes, then no8 Jack Furnival completed an 80 metre breakout down the Whitchurch right wing with excellent inter-passing bypassing the Sutton defenders to score by the posts on 13 minutes and 6 minutes later Whitchurch won a lineout on their left wing 20 metres out and they set-up a driving maul, which was driven infield by Sutton but they could not stop the forward momentum and second row Mike Oakden claimed the bonus point try just to the left of the posts. Fly half Danny Nicholas converted the last two tries to give Whitchurch a healthy 24-0 lead with 19 minutes played.

Faced by the daunting score line Sutton stepped up to their task and they came back into the game but 4 minutes before the break Whitchurch
again returned play to deep in the Sutton half and they drove the ball over the Sutton try line. However the referee judged that the ball was held up over the try line awarding Whitchurch a 5 metre attacking scrum. Sutton defended the scrum but they were unable to stop the drive as no8 Jack Furnival claimed a pushover try, which was converted by Danny Nicholas to give the visitors a 31-0 lead at the break.

After the break Sutton were revitalised and there was much more purpose to their play, so much so that just 11 minutes into the second half Sutton won a penalty, which was kicked into the right corner and having won the ball from the lineout Sutton drove for the line allowing the outstanding Peter Meachin to peel off and drive over the line for a fine try to open the Sutton account and with fullback Ben Morgan adding the conversion Sutton brought the score back to 7-31.

Sutton were much more a part of the next period of play but unfortunately their efforts went unrewarded and they received another setback when the visitors were awarded a penalty try for a scrum infringement on the Sutton try line to extend the deficit to 38-7 with just minutes left to play...but true to their character from the restart Sutton set-up a spirited counterattack from deep in their half and running the ball out of their own half the ball was fed left to winger George Creed, who ran through, round and past the would be defenders to score an outstanding consolation try in the left corner for a final score line of 38-12.

Unfortunately, the difficult conversion was missed but Sutton had the best of the second half once they got their new playing configurations worked out and on the plus side there were no serious injuries to add to the extensive injury list.

This weekend Sutton take a welcome break from the rigours of league rugby, with a chance to heal their wounds before they return to league action on Saturday 7th Dec with the short trip South down the M5 to Droitwich RFC, hoping for better fortunes against a side in a similar position to themselves. KO 2.15pm.

Match summary - 23rd Nov 2019

Sutton Coldfield 2nd XV 0pts v UOB School of Engineering 36pts

Friendly

The mixed age Sutton second string found the young engineers, who were their guests last weekend, a little too quick and well organised in a highly entertaining 'friendly' contest at the RSG, in which the visitors fought for a 12-0 lead at the break but ran out as deserved 36-0 winners in the end, scoring 6 tries and 3 conversions.

The try scorers were; Olly Gittoes, Mattie Parks, Louis Bounds, Michael Jobling, Samraj Chahal and Jamie Wilson with Jacob Piggott-Denison kicking 3 conversions.

Match summary - 24th Nov 2019

Droitwich Colts 12pts v Sutton Colts 12pts

North Midlands Colts League - Division One

Last Sunday the Sutton Colts travelled to Droitwich to play their scheduled league fixture but on a day of mixed fortunes Sutton trailed 7-5 at the break, suffered a red card but in the end on a difficult day they managed a respectable 12-12 draw.

The Sutton points were scored by Tom Poland and Alex Quirke, who scored a try each and Tom Bishop, who added a conversion.