Match report - 16th Dec 2017

Pictured (top left) Rhoss Price who celebrated his 50th 1st XV appearance with a typically tenacious display, Tom Burrows (top right) who can’t stop scoring tries..!! and injury victims Luke Stewart (bottom left) and Peter Meachin (bottom right).

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager

Unfortunately the last league game of the season for Sutton's 1st XV reflected the problems the team have suffered through out the first half of their troubled season, with late withdrawals on the day of the match again resulting in last minute changes in the front row but in spite of the disruptions and against the odds it was Sutton who made all the early running in the first half of a competitive game, however two interception tries gifted D-K 14 points to leave Sutton trailing 14-7 at the break, allowing second placed Dudley to recover their confidence and the home side had the better of the second half as described in the following match report.

The Sutton 1st XV suffered a 47-7 defeat at the Dudley Kingswinford, Heathbrook in their last game of 2017 and Sutton approach the New Year propping up the table knowing they have a real survival fight on their hands.

The day didn’t start well with the ever-reliable Tom Morahan answering a late call up after the front row duo of Danny Griffin and Luke Hennessy cried off. Regular hooker Dean Ginn, who had been unavailable due to work answered an SOS and made the dash from work to the D-K ground and was able to join the fray as a replacement shortly before half time, credit to Zach Loffman who fronted up as hooker in the meantime.

The final score line pays scant regard for the impressive 1st half showing by the Sutton lads who for the most part were in the ascendency despite having fallen behind to an interception try by winger Matt Grove after just 3 minutes of play. The score came as Sutton launched an attack across the half way line but the pass to fullback Tom Burrows, who had joined the line at pace rebounded off the fullbacks chest straight into the hands of the flying D-K winger, who had a clear 50 metre run to the try line to score the opening try in the right corner, against the run of play. To add to Sutton's grief D-K centre Sam Vaughan kicked the touchline conversion to give the home side a surprise 7-0 lead.

Shocked but undeterred by the deficit Sutton set about repairing the damage by a period of positive play and 30 minutes into the game Sutton created a try for fullback Tom Burrows scored under the D-K posts. The try began when a DK attack broke down in the Sutton 22; fly half Ben Morgan fly hacked the ball up field and young Jack Wells on the Sutton right wing showed great pace and footballing skills to work the ball towards the try line where Tom Burrows was on hand to touch down under the posts for his 5th try of the season and his 4th in successive matches. Ben Morgan kicked the conversion to draw the sides level at 7-7. With half time rapidly approaching and Sutton holding the upper hand, tempers started to fray leading to the game’s turning point when Sutton’s outstanding back row forward Luke Stewart had to be helped from the field after a stray opposition knee put paid to his afternoon. An opportunist try by home scrum half Jordan Brookes followed shortly afterwards, when Sutton tried to pass the ball from left to right across their 22, a stray pass was intercepted by the D-K scrumhalf in mid field and the pacey Jordan Brookes raced in to score under the posts. Sam Vaughan converted to send DK in at the break with a 14-7 lead they scarcely deserved.

By contrast the 2nd period proved to be a disaster for Sutton as DK came on strong exploiting further injuries to influential forwards Peter Meachin and Dean Harper as they run in a further 5 tries though Danny Hawkins (2), Penalty Try, Dan Marsh and Tom Walker; Vaughan was able to convert 3 of them to leave the final score 47-7 to DK whose bonus point win saw them join Burton at the top of the table after the Staffordshire side’s home game with Bromsgrove fell victim to the recent arctic weather.

A sobering afternoon for the boys in green who will take positives out of a competitive first half and will hope that the seasonal break will allow injured bodies to heal in readiness for the challenges the New Year present. Well played to DK who we wish well in their title pursuit.

Team: Tom Morahan, Zach Loffman, Dave Smith, Dean Harper, Peter Meachin, Anton Taylor, Rhoss Price, Luke Stewart, Ollie Green, Ben Morgan(Capt), Jack Wells, Tom Harris, Mike Burns, Joe Gregory, Tom Burrows. Subs(all used): Dean Ginn, Tom Foulsham, Chris Hendley.

Sutton return to league action on 6th Jan 2018 with a home fixture against Hereford, who will start 2018 in 7th place with Sutton sitting in bottom place but still within reach of safety if they can string a run of results together in their opening games. All is still possible.

In the meantime there is rugby at the Roger Smoldon Memorial Ground, Walmley Road on Friday 29th Dec 2017 when a young Sutton XV take on the Sutton Academicals in the traditional festive fixture. All support welcome for what should a feast of festive rugby with a great atmosphere on the pitch and in the bar afterwards. KO 4pm.

Sutton other team results:

Finally everyone at SCRFC from the players, the coaching staff, admin and management wish all our supporters many thanks for your loyal support through a difficult start to the season and please have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS & a HAPPY NEW YEAR,

See you all in 2018 with hope for a change in luck and good fortune in the second half of the season.