Match report - 28th Sept 2018

Picture featured - From top to bottom, prop Liam Hills, second row Josh Bailey and centre Jacob Jones protect the ball.

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager

Match report - 28th Sept 2018

In a dramatic and atmospheric Friday evening game under the excellent floodlights at the Roger Smoldon Ground, Walmley Road, the reinvigorated and all powerful Sutton 1st XV continued their impressive winning run when they made it four wins out of four from their last four games moving them up to fourth in the league, after the Saturday fixtures had been played.

In achieving the 32-10 bonus point victory over a useful Moseley Oak XV Sutton had to overcome the setback of losing a key player to a red card for an infringement at a ruck after just 14 minutes of play... but faced with playing 66 minutes with a man down, to a man the remaining Sutton players rose to the challenge and such is the strength and depth of talent in this Sutton team that the 7 man pack dominated the scrums and lineouts led by hooker Dean Ginn, who had another outstanding game as a key player in the forward set plays and dynamic in the open play.

The Sutton play delighted the bumper Friday night crowd with their emphatic 32-10 success, scoring five tries to secure an all-important bonus point along the way that enabled them to move to the top of the Midlands 1 West table on Friday evening, if only for 19 hours but after the Saturday fixtures had been played Sutton had moved into 4th place in a league of 14 teams.

Recognising that the 1st XV is still at a very early stage in their season having played only 5 games out of the 26 scheduled league fixtures but their performances to date are very encouraging and although holding the top spot may only have been for 19 hours, when the 1st XV has not topped any table for over five years (the last occasion being 14th September 2013 in National 3 Midlands) it is understandable that the club should celebrate the achievement and congratulate the players along with Head Coach Joe Gavin and his deputy Sandy O'Hare plus the team of coaches and support staff on the progress that has been made in recent times.

As to the game itself, Moseley Oak kicked off in perfect playing conditions with the pitch superbly lit by the International standard floodlights and the home side got off to the perfect start as they took the ball forward from the kick off and with strong scrummaging drove play back deep into the visitors 22 from where after just 4 minutes, following a driving maul No8 Peter Meachin picked up and drove down the narrow side to score the opening try to the left of the posts; fly half Ben Morgan added the extras and Sutton led 7-0.

However, the home side were then dealt a massive blow after 14 minutes when lock forward Lewis Snowden was shown a red card for dangerous use of the boot at a ruck.

Despite being a man short in the pack the Sutton forwards continued to be completely dominant in the set piece with the front row of Sean Harrison, Dean Ginn and Liam Hills leading the way well supported by the excellent 2nd row pairing of Josh Bailey and Jack Ward, the visitors were forced to defend resolutely but the pressure by the 14 man home side eventually told when after 36 minutes Harrison dotted down having found himself in space wide out to extend the lead to 12-0.

The try by the stalwart Sutton captain means he holds the distinction of having scored tries in each of the last 9 seasons, a tremendous achievement for any prop forward but clearly the inspirational Sutton skipper is not just any prop forward.

To add to their pressures Sutton found themselves down to 13 men after 38 minutes when full back Tom Burrows, going for the interception, was harshly adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball down and was shown a yellow card.

Despite now being two men down Sutton continued to have the upper hand with remaining back-rowers Meachin and Rhoss Price working overtime to make up for the shortfall in personnel.

Deep into 1st half stoppage time Morgan knocked over a penalty goal when the visitors had strayed offside in front of their posts to increase the score to 15-0 at the interval, which was kind to the visitors given the balance of play to that point.

The second half got under way with Sutton still two men down but this would not have been obvious when the hosts dominated play from the restart and sustained pressure in the Moseley Oak 22 and second row/back row powerhouse Jack Ward break free from a driving maul close to the visitors try line to cross for Sutton's third try after 45 minutes, which fly half Ben Morgan converted to push the lead out to 22-0.

With Burrows restored that lead became 27-0 in the 64th minute when this season’s leading scorer Jack Ward, arguably the game’s outstanding player, forced his way over against his former club for his 2nd try of the night and his 6th in his last four games; it was also Sutton’s 4th try of the night securing the bonus point.

After 69 minutes the visitors finally got on the scoresheet when James Atkinson got over in the left corner to make it 27-5.

But on 73 minutes the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Sutton youngster George Creed, who has returned to his Sutton home club after serving an apprenticeship with Worcester Warriors on their Developing Player Programme (DPP) and on the night the 17 year old winger gathered the ball on the 10 meter line in mid-field then showed his exceptional talent as he swept right to round the chasing defenders before speeding down the right touchline showing a clean pair of heels to the defensive cover before sliding in to register his 2nd try of the season in as many starts. The conversion fell just short but the lead was now 32-5 and the game was all but won.

However, to their credit the visitors lifted their heads and upped their game in the closing period to claim the final score when after 80 minutes lock forward Billy Castle breached the home defence to touch down, a due reward for their improved efforts in the final quarter. The conversion was missed leaving the final score at 32-10 to take the hosts to the top of the table overnight.

On reflection Sutton can be pleased with their dominant performance and they know in a perfect world they would have taken more of the chances they created; however, given that they were a man light for most of the game and two men down for a period 10 minutes, the team still scored five tries and delivered the bonus point win which was the objective at the outset.

Next up for Sutton this weekend is a stern test when they travel to unbeaten Newbold on Avon for a 3pm kick off.

Team: Sean Harrison(Capt), Dean Ginn, Liam Hills, Josh Bailey, Lewis Snowden, Jack Ward, Rhoss Price, Peter Meachin, Ollie Green, Ben Morgan, Jack Wells, Jacob Jones, Joel James, George Creed, Tom Burrows. Reps (used): Dave Roberts, Steve Crane, Sam Harris.