1st XV Match report - 23rd April 2022

Picture: Sam Grimshaw on his way for Sutton's 3rd try

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager

Match report - 23rd April 2022

Sutton Coldfield 20pts v Lichfield RFC 48pts

Midlands 1 West

And so another season of mixed fortunes for the Sutton 1st XV has drawn to a close with Sutton finishing 10th out of 14 teams for the fourth season running. 3 out of the 4 seasons have seen Sutton make a remarkable recovery in the second half of the season rising from the bottom of the table around Christmas and pulling themselves up the table with important victories in the closing games to achieve a respectable finish and avoid relegation showing their strength of character and resilience after their difficulties earlier in the season.

The 2021/22 season was no different except there was no relegation threat just pride and the need to restore a winning mentality and a positive belief in preparation for a good start to the new season in the restructured Midlands 1 West league come September.

For Sutton the 2021/22 season started and finished with tough fixtures against old rivals Lichfield, who at the start of the season were league title contenders and for the final game of the season last week at Sutton they were already undisputed league champions...but the much improved Sutton side threatened to overturn the form books in a dramatic first half, when the home side made an outstanding start to the game, taking a 15-5 lead and although the visitors recovered to 15-12 at the break, the competitive Sutton play had clearly stunned their illustrious opponents, who had been given a respectful guard of honour when Sutton formed a tunnel to applaud the League Champions onto the field in front of a large crowd of expectant supporters from Sutton and nearby Lichfield, who were then entertained by a high quality competitive contest, as reported below.

Sutton kicked off on a sunny spring day with the wind to their backs, in front of a large expectant crowd, who were about to enjoy the excellent playing conditions as Sutton made a great start applying all the early pressure in the Lichfield half showing no regard for Lichfield's formidable reputation and putting their opponents under sustained pressure forcing them to play off the back foot.

Unfortunately, the sustained pressure failed to bring any points for Sutton but then 15 minutes in Sutton suffered a severe blow when their talented young fullback Matt Smith had to leave the field with a suspected dislocated elbow, sustained in an awkward tackle and the fullback had to leave the field to be taken to the hospital for an X-ray to establish the full extent of the damage.

The game resumed with Ollie Green, normally a scrum half, coming on to join the backline as replacement and achieving his 100th 1st XV appearance in the process, as winger Miles Gregory moved to fullback to replace the stricken Matt Smith, (who post match revealed that the X-ray showed no broken bones but was very painful!).

Sutton continued their bombardment on the Lichfield try line and midway through the first half under pressure Lichfield were penalised for holding on in front of their posts and Sutton fly half Ben Morgan slotted home the penalty kick to open the scoring giving Sutton a deserved 3-0 lead but within 5 minutes besieged Lichfield broke out off their 22 and catching Sutton by surprise they raced down their right wing to create a try for right wing Myles Haughton. The difficult conversion was missed but against the run of play the visitors had taken the lead 5-3.

Undaunted Sutton continued their free flowing game and from a lineout on the Sutton left inside the Lichfield 22, Sutton's outstanding young 2nd row Ollie Gregory claimed the ball at the lineout and the Sutton pack drove towards the try line. As the drive was halted close to the line skipper Dean Ginn peeled off and slipped the ball to his no8 Jack Wells, who crossed the line for a well worked try to the left of the posts. Fly half Ben Morgan landed the conversion to take Sutton into a 10-5 lead 6 minutes before the break.

Then with half time approaching stand-in fullback Miles Gregory scored an excellent try in the corner following a weaving run by Ollie Green, who created the opening before delivering the perfect scoring pass for the fullback to complete the job, extending the Sutton lead to 15-5, with just seconds to go to the break but unfortunately just enough time for the visitors to make a timely impact before the halftime whistle.

With time running out, directly from the restart following the Sutton try Lichfield won a lineout on their right then spun the ball from right to left across the Sutton 22 and centre Paul Maxwell-Keys found a gap to score to the left of the posts. Fly half Adam Spinner added to conversion to end the first half with Sutton leading 15-12.

Clearly shocked by Sutton's first half performance Lichfield gathered themselves during the break and they made the perfect start to the second half when after just 2 minutes they created an opening for 2nd row Harvey Wootton to charge over for a try to the left of the posts and with Spinner adding the conversion Lichfield retook the lead 19-15, they then proceeded to step up through the gears as they scored 5 more tries in the next 32 minutes and once they had found their rhythm and restored their belief it was hard for Sutton to stay with them.

The procession of tries started with hooker Jack Fielding on 52 minutes after a solo run in space; centre Paul Maxwell-Keys scored his second try after 57 minutes; winger Joe Bourne ran in unopposed after 61 minutes and then he ran in a second try after good interplay on the left wing on 72 minutes; then on 74 minutes centre Maxwell-Keys competed his hat-trick when Lichfield gathered a Sutton miss-pass and the centre raced into the right corner. Fly half Spinner kicked an excellent touchline conversion for the last try having missed 3 of the previous 4 conversions to bring the score to 48-15 with 6 minutes to play.

Although the succession of tries conceded during the second half suggests that Sutton were overwhelmed with the game finally going according to the form book but Sutton stayed in the game and remained competitive, however, in the final quarter fitness certainly played a part as Sutton tired and unforced errors crept into their play handing the initiative back to the visitors as tired minds and bodies effected the Sutton game but their courage and determination shone through as they continued to compete to the very end, scoring the final try of the game when centre Sam Grimshaw broke from his own half and outpaced the Lichfield defenders over a 50 metre dash to score a spectacular consolation try in the left corner. The final conversion was missed and Sutton had to settle for a 48-20 defeat at the hands of the inform league champions.

However, important lessons were leaned in defeat as well as the key victories in the closing games that carried them up the league table and Sutton know that they now have the talent and ability in the current Sutton 1st XV squad to follow Lichfield into the higher leagues in due course, proudly wearing the Green of Sutton Coldfield RFC, as they now take a well earned break from the rigours of league rugby as they move into the summer recess before returning for summer training and fine tuning ahead of next season.

End of season summary:

Another season ends in which Sutton 1st XV have again had to recover from their early season ails to finish the season with a flourish and achieve a respectable position in the final league table, showing all the good signs and potential of essentially a bright young side, who have delivered the important results in the final sequence of games after another challenging season with over 50 players playing for the 1st XV in the 2021/22 season due to injuries and availability throughout a difficult season but all came good in the end and Sutton now have a strong squad for next season. By comparison Lichfield played around 40 players on a squad rotation basis.

The Sutton 2nd XV have had another good season under manager Simon Davies and key organiser & player Steve Marshall and the Sutton Ladies have again shown their true quality finishing 2nd in their first season in the National Leagues - a great achievement by the girls under their Captain Kate Gregory and Head Coach George Ord.

The Sutton Colts under manager Bryn Thomas have had a mainly good season in the league and to their great credit they are through to the final of the Fred Rowley Colts Cup having defeated Stafford Colts 52-34 in a fast paced Semi Final last week ,Tuesday 19th April under floodlights at the Walsall Rugby Ground and they now progress to the Final later this month - good luck to the future stars of Sutton.

The all important Sutton social side, the Sutton Casuals have enjoyed a number of entertaining games through the season with the highlight being the floodlit game against Warwickshire Masons RFC, which raised a commendable £1,650 for the Jack Jefferies Memorial Foundation.

And off the field not forgetting the massive effort by our Chairman's wife Joanna Fletcher & her Team, sending essential supplies to the Ukraine to help the many people suffering due to the current disastrous war, 25 tons in total.

This season celebrated the SCRFC Centenary Season, 1921/22 to 2021/22, starting with the Rugby Centenary Festival Weekend when the first competitive game by Sutton against a Stourbridge XV was re-enacted at the current Sutton Coldfield Club, Walmley Road with a fun fair, entertainments and many other rugby events carried out to celebrate SCRFC's notable landmark and then on Thursday 3rd March 2022 the Sutton Club enjoyed a very successful Centenary Dinner at Sutton Town Hall attended by around 300 club members and guests, with Guest Speaker Mike Tindall, who brought a touch of Rugby Royalty and good humour to the proceedings, with the Midlands rugby legend David Duckham acting as MC and Sutton's MP Andrew Mitchell gallantly proposing a vote of thanks.

And so having followed through with many other events through the year, a very special Centenary season for SCRFC now draws to a close as the club moves forward into its second centenary. It only remains to thank all the volunteers, who have helped with the various events and activities throughout the year, with a special thanks to all the loyal Sutton rugby supporters, who have followed the Sutton 1st XV through another testing season, that once again took a turn for the better at the end and we look forward to a progressive summer recess plus summer training programme leading to a successful start to the new league campaign come next September.

In the meantime have a Great Summer and see you next season, when we will be 101 years old....

Best wishes to all from all at SCRFC.