Sutton Scattered Like Acorns by Moseley Oak.

Sutton third team travelled in hope to play Moseley Oak in a league game only to be met by a squad of about 40 as the colts had had their match cancelled earlier in the day! After some negotiation by skipper Steve Marsh Moseley Oak were permitted 5 replacements despite Sutton only having 3. The one consolation, if it can be called that, was that we played on a superb pitch, that being Moseley’s first team pitch.
Sutton received the kick off and approximately 30 seconds later were standing behind their posts as Oak ran through some flailing tackles to register the first try of the afternoon, 5-0 to the home team with the conversion being missed. Sutton rallied and their front row totally bossed the Oak front row as scrum after scrum was won and against the head too. The pack proceeded to dominate their opposites for the entire afternoon especially the front row of Scott Toy, playing one of his final games prior to a year’s sojourn around the world, Steve Marshall, replacement hooker Stu McGarragle and super vet! Andy Duckworth returning after a five week lay off ,all of whom enjoyed a fruitful afternoon in the heat of the battle!!!
Sutton hit back quickly and scored a fine try through good work in the midfield from man of the match Ian Evans and Mark McEvoy who combined to put Chris Duckworth over for a fine try 5-5 and a fine riposte. Unfortunately the conversion was missed. A penalty followed goaled by Pete Dale and Sutton led 8-5.However that was as good as it got for a while as Moseley Oak punched holes in midfield and proceeded to run in several tries to make the score 29-8 to the men in red. But the final say of the half fell to Sutton as Dale skipped to the line, avoiding tackle after tackle, from about 40 metres out, to stroll over under the posts. A successful conversion by the same player meant the half time score read 29-15 to Moseley Oak.
The second half started as the first had with Moseley Oak scoring an early try to kick start the scoreboard which in all honesty didn’t stop rotating until the final whistle! With the wind in their sails both in fact and metaphorically Oak continued to run in tries through strong running forwards and backs who combined well to run through the Sutton defence on a regular basis. Having said that Evans, Dale, Duckworth Jr, Ian Wilson, Vaughan Brown, Dave Sandford, McEvoy and Craig Harvey put in some fine tackles all around the park.
Sutton almost had the final say, scoring the try of the day through McEvoy after a fine move to and fro across the pitch involving Evans, Wilson, Duckworth Jr. and finally finished off with a bit of a juggle in the corner by McEvoy!!
Moseley had the final say scoring again to make the final score 72-20.But Sutton walked off the pitch with heads held high because although the score shows a heavy defeat, the effort put in by all 18 players could not be faulted. The greater power and resources on the day proved too much for the men in green but such effort and determination to play for each other replicated in future games will lead to victories.
Finally rugby was the winner as both teams played in the right spirit on a game that was allowed to flow by a good referee.